We spent quite a bit of time trying to determine how we felt about the Dragon Age situation described in today's comic - a character appears in your camp who offers a questline that is only available in downloadable content. The character is literally a salesman. Is this an act of abominable evil? Or is the mass of this evil sufficient to unfold itself - like a Popple - into a creature capable of love?

The very moment that the Collector's Edition became available for purchase, I did so. You might imagine that, having done an eight page project for the title, we might have received some kind of consideration in this respect - but as a site that does not offer numerical scores, indeed, as a site which finds the entire notion of numerical scores abhorrent, we don't manifest near the top of that particular queue. But there's never been a possibility that I would not purchase Dragon Age, from the moment we saw it in an elemental form at the Electronic Entertainment Expo five years ago. Then, in my mind, I set aside an inviolate amount which would always be oriented toward this purpose.

We are apparently at a point now where the Collector's Edition is not the ultimate manifestation of a game. Modern Warfare 2, which is the most important product ever, has offered up a Veteran Edition, a Hardened Edition, a Prestige Edition, and presumably a Tumescent Edition. Back when I purchased my Dragon Age, though, I think I had a reasonable expectation that it would be a definitive product. A trailer emerged for Warden's Keep, and something scratched at the base of my skull when it did so, something about what version would or wouldn't include it, but I felt confident that this didn't apply to me.

It turns out that this content comes with the quote Digital Deluxe edition - which they might consider calling the Complete Edition, or perhaps The Entire Game Edition, as it includes the Entire Game. You know perfectly well that I don't have a problem with the concept of "premium" game additions, I'm unique among amateur industry observers in that I don't ladle up populist bullshit in an effort to make myself appear a man of the people. I like buying things. But jeezy creezy, guys. The timing, execution, and decision making here are fucking cavalier.

Like Oblivion, the scope of the Dragon Age experience provides some built-in protection from assertions that the base experience is incomplete without the content. There was a time when companies demurred when discussing downloadable content at launch, other than the most routine assurances that maps - of some kind - would be forthcoming. Now, we've reached a new threshold, where Day One DLC and the promise of Two Years of unrelenting premium offers are the goal - where pitchmen emerge unbidden in our role-playing games and try sell us valor a la carte. 

Incredible. 

(CW)TB out.

these words get overused

It's back! The ultimate in friction-free, ultra-lightweight charity engines is here, ready to transform the slightest movements of your finger into much-needed respite for young people. Here's what's up:

We've got New Hospitals this year, a tender cross-section of facilities you've directed us to over the past year. Focus your Charity Beam on Dayton, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Boise, Memphis, or (for Canadian readers) Victoria, Ottawa and St. John's. The Sponsors you see on the main page have gotten the ball rolling to the tune of two-hundred and sixty thousand dollars. Not a bad take before the thing even starts, huh?

Don't forget our annual Charity Dinner and Auction, which is reliably fun, productive, and delicious. We've also spun up a Twitter feed (@CPCharity) to keep you up to speed with the community's unstoppable charitable assault.

(CW)TB