Some MASSIVE issues with Patch 1.03

[naomis8329]

Since installing v1.03 (can't download v1.02 any longer) my friend and I have noticed the following problem:

 

We both love being rogues and stealing, however since putting on the new patch we can't. If its money then it shows up as a success with the amount pilfered, if its an item it says stealing success, but no items are received.

 

Has anyone else experienced this problem???

[Thandal]

(Just responded to the identical post you made under its own topic heading.) Short answer is, yes.

Read the previous pages in this thread and the 30+ pages in the Bioware social network topic "Bugs with 1.03..."

[Thandal]

(Adding to previous...) Didn't mean to be flip about the problem. There are some possible workarounds for the Pickpocketing and Dog Searching issue. Search for "Steal_Dog_CD" mod. Mixed success reported. YMMV.

[Thandal]

[Another update after extensive experimentation.]

 

For those with the constant Crash-to-Desktop issue on the PC version of DA:O after patching to 1.03 (as required by/included with DA:A)

 

The fix found at: "http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/58/index/1633999/31#2037048" (which was written for a similar bug with Fallout3) really does seem to work in preventing almost all of the CtD I was experiencing. Some others who also have >4GB 64-bit systems report equal success.

 

This fix modifies the "daorigins.exe" file header to correctly code for large physical memory space.

 

It does NOT help with any other faults 1.03 introduced, (broken pickpocketing, etc.) but DOES make the game playable again!

 

You have to edit the "start.bat" file contained in the fix by replacing "fallout3.exe" with "daorigins.exe" before your run it against "daorgins.exe", which is in your "\Program Files (x86)\bin_ship" folder.

 

DISCLAIMERS: As always, YMMV, and make a backup of the original "daorigins.exe" and your saves/chars folder before making any changes! (32-bit sytems may or may not be helped, and I believe there is another change needed to an ".ini" file. Read the notes.)

 

See postings by "akanounnikoff" under the topic: "Bugs with 1.03 patch..." at the Bioware forums for more detailed info about why it works. (Also see additional posts about the false positive Kaspersky anti-malware reports. I'm guessing code that modifies ".exe's" gets an automatic flag in their evals.)

 

Have Fun!

[DarkeWolf]

Since installing v1.03 (can't download v1.02 any longer) my friend and I have noticed the following problem:

 

We both love being rogues and stealing, however since putting on the new patch we can't. If its money then it shows up as a success with the amount pilfered, if its an item it says stealing success, but no items are received.

 

Has anyone else experienced this problem???

You can still get 1.02 I hunted on google, http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/dragonage/download.html?sid=6242543

[Chaosblade02]

I noticed no fix with the load times with patch 1.03. Ok for instance, when I first boot up DAO, the game runs great, load times are very fast, less that 10 secs to almost instant, and even on high setting for graphics, the game runs crisp and clean even in large fights, then after about 30 min to 1 hour of play I get hit with unbearable lag even with no action on the screen at all, I can be just standing there, and 3-5 minute load screens and have to restart DAO, and sometimes my computer to make the load times bearable. I even tried lowering all the settings to minimum, but there was no performance increase or faster load times or any less lag as a result of me lowering the graphics. My PC more than meets the recommended PC specs. It was lagging so bad I even thought I might have had a trojan or some nasty spyware, but this wasn't the case. Also I don't remember it lagging and getting load times this bad with the 1.02 patch, even though I hear everyone say the 1.03 patch was supposed to fix it. Seems the other way around for me guys. I am going to try to reinstall and put the 1.02 patch back and see if that helps lessen my lag and load times.

[DarkeWolf]

Chaosblade- your problem sounds like the memory leak in the game. Its a dual issue, really. For one, the game (and toolset) use up an ungodly amount of memory when reading save games. Coupled with the fact that the game (and toolset) will both sit there and demand more and more and more RAM usage from your machine. But does not release that RAM, so that it can be reused.

 

This gets progressively worse as you get further along in the game. Because A) Your savegames get a lot bigger. B) the areas you visit are a lot more complex (Such as Denerim and Orzammar) with a lot more npcs that get scanned, areas to load, dialogs to load, cutscenes, etc.

 

I noticed absolutely no difference between load times using 1.02 and 1.03. Tho others have reported good things.

[Chaosblade02]

Chaosblade- your problem sounds like the memory leak in the game. Its a dual issue, really. For one, the game (and toolset) use up an ungodly amount of memory when reading save games. Coupled with the fact that the game (and toolset) will both sit there and demand more and more and more RAM usage from your machine. But does not release that RAM, so that it can be reused.

 

This gets progressively worse as you get further along in the game. Because A) Your savegames get a lot bigger. B) the areas you visit are a lot more complex (Such as Denerim and Orzammar) with a lot more npcs that get scanned, areas to load, dialogs to load, cutscenes, etc.

 

I noticed absolutely no difference between load times using 1.02 and 1.03. Tho others have reported good things.

 

Toolset? Can you explain what you mean by the toolset? I don't believe it is a program I have open during the game.

 

I was midway through the game when I finally switched to the 1.03 patch, I suppose it would have been as a result of me being farther in the game instead of it being the fault of the 1.03 patch, but either way I don't think the patch made any difference for me reducing loading times and lag.

 

This sounds like a problem Bioware needs to fix ASAP. Any news of a new patch coming out to fix these issues? As far as ram goes, I got 8 gig and it eats through 8 gigs of ram that fast? Are you freaking kidding me? I guess my ram getting raped like a school girl in prison would explain the lag.

 

As far as issues with mods and the 1.03 patch, I haven't had any issues with that, all the DLC works fine, and all the custom patches I have tried work with no issues. I did run into a bug one time that blackened out some of my party members faces, but I can't say for certain the 1.03 patch was to blame for that. And nothing like that ever happened again.

[Thandal]

ChaosBlade (why the "02"?);

 

The load-time lag that many of us (myself included) had with 1.02 is exactly as you describe it now (and by DarkeWolfe, above.) In my case, 1.03 did clear that up tremendously, but at the cost of almost incessant Crash-to-Desktop (CtD) errors whenever significant on-screen effects (mostly "magical") were triggered. I also encountered the crash when transitioning to a new area if "autosave" were triggered.

 

The "Fallout3" solution to edit the .exe header has been a real gift!

 

Since you have the lag, but not the CtD, might I suggest a complete un-install/re-install (after backing up your saves/chars folder, of course) then patching directly to 1.03, skipping 1.01a/1.02 all together.

 

Also, I'm curious. You're running 1.03 but have NOT had the Broken Pickpocketing problem? Most of us see the "success" message and receive plot items or coinage that results, but any *other* items don't seem to appear in the inventory. Used to be able to acquire some quite valuable equipment that way...

 

Let us know what/how you do.

 

Thanks!

[Thandal]

[Addon to previous]

 

Chaosblade;

 

I forgot to answer your question. The Dragon Age Toolset is a separate program (avaialble from teh Bioware site, and includes the required runtime version of MS SQL database) that allows a sophisticated user/modder to make changes and create/extend the DA environment in fairly complex ways. If you don't know what it is, then you can be sure you're not running it. Even installing it is tricky (especially in a 64-bit environment.)

 

In addition to full-blown mods, the toolset is useful for tweaking little things like "your PC's eye color after you've already started the game" that would be impossible otherwise.