intro won't flow correctly

So basically i am unable ot get into the game because the cinematics aren't functioning properly and i start gameplay at god knows where with no one around and no quests. (btw im a first time player of dragon age in general if that means anything here). I see the cinematic where i climb the stairs with the spiders chasing me, reach for the white ghost thing, big flash, guards surround me then BOOM! im in game play in some crater thing facing those same stairs with ruins all around me, and no where to go, and nothing to do. Every y-tube vid i see shows some other cinematic in a jail cell after that and then real game play commences?  wtf?!?!   ._.   anyone know what this is????