Dragon Age: Origins Hints and Tips (Help)?

Hi, I have just finished my Dragon Age: Origins campaign for the first time, and I definitely did not do very well on it, having to shift onto easy setting many times, yet playing primarily on normal. I am about to play Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, yet I am certain I will play Origins again. I would really appreciate anyone who could provide me a list of hints and tips to improve my gameplay, and any optimal way of playing through the game - order of gaining the allies, good party setups, skills that are necessary, trap usage, poison usage, how to enchant etc. Thank you!Dragon Age: Origins Hints and Tips (Help)?
The tips and hints you receive will vary greatly depending on how you prefer to play the game. Since you asked for hints on trap-use and poison-use, I assume you enjoy playing as a rogue. Personally, I prefer mage for many reasons. Choosing a different origin/class will add hours of interesting replay value.

This is how I play the game. Start as mage. Recruit Allistar and Morrigan. Use them often. For the final party slot, I include either Lelianna (as an archer) or Wynne. Equip Allistar with the best armor. Put all of his stat points into Constitution and Dexterity, so he'll basically never die. Also ensure that he has the Intimidate skill (or whatever it's called), so enemies swarm around him and not the tender mages. Next, make all mages into Spirit Healers, have them learn Cone of Cold, Mass Vulnerability, and Virulent Bomb. Cast the hex on a group of enemies. Freeze them in place with Cone of Cold. Cast Virulent Bomb on the weakest. Then hack away at that bombed enemy until it explodes. All surrounding enemies will also explode. It's a really awesome strategy.

Also, try different ways of resolving problems in quests. For instance, instead of sacrificing Isolde to save Connor, have the Circle Mages perform the ritual using Lyrium and spend Morrigan into the Fade.

As far as quest line goes, I always choose to rescue the Arl first. Then I head to the Circle and do that quest, following that with the Dalish Elves quest and finally, the Dwarf quest. Try it some time. :)Dragon Age: Origins Hints and Tips (Help)?
I love playing as a rogue, because (among other things) you can make lots of cool grenades. Zevran comes equipped with Master Poison Making, so use him for that. Even if you don't like to have him in your party, you can leave camp with him, let him make lots of bombs, and then switch him out of your party. Learn how to make as many grenades as you can (buy the recipes); they can get you out of a tough spot if you're surrounded or battling something huge. You may also want to "teach" your mages basic Poison Making, so that they can throw bombs if they're in a tight spot - i.e., surrounded and one of the only party members left standing.

That's just a small hint - I'm sure you'll get many more!