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0
3,373
Fredward
1,342
September 2016
fredward
http://bsn.boards.net/board/40/dragon-age-4
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Post by Fredward on Dec 28, 2017 21:19:22 GMT
So if you're anything like me you've wanted to ask devs questions but they either don't answer your Twitter queries or you somehow always miss the AMAs on Reddit or at that one specific moment you just have no questions. So this is a thread for questions you wanna ask the devs, don't really expect an answer to but wanna ask anyway. Feel free to interact with the questions cuz no one else is gonna answer them anyway. 1. There seems to be a relatively large disparity between the character or Hawke and the Inquisitor, this is the most obvious when it's purple Hawke but even Hawke in general seems more boisterous/exuberant/larger than life than the more taciturn Inquisitor. Was that a conscious decision or was it a side effect of some shift in how the protagonist is written? 1.2 Can we please get a more Hawke-like protagonist for DA4? 2. How would a hypothetical Rivaini Seer class play? 3. Since the reason for ditching blood magic in DAI was inability to offer meaningful consequences does that mean a hypothetical ( ) game set in Tevinter would have those consequences or would it's more common nature move reactivity back towards the baseline specs had in DAI (ie conversations with friends)? 4. The little concept art that's floating around Minrathous makes it look like Kirkwall but on crack. It's very dark/moody/oppressive which is fine, thematically but I'm probably gonna want some visual relief from the endless stark severe, stark scenery. Can that relief come in the form of street mages putting on performances? It'd give the player something pretty to look at, highlight the vastly different attitudes in magic and not detract from how the city's mood like, say gaily coloured pendants or particularly verdant trees would. 5. You guys ever consider loosening the specializations a bit? You seemed to be flirting with the idea with items like the Ring Of Doubt where your mage can have some rogue like abilities. Any chance of that kind of hybridization in DA4? 6. I noticed the ability to cast magic WITH YOUR HAND in DAI's alpha footage which I had entirely forgotten about. It looked a little stilted but it was dope AF and really something I'd like to see, not a question but yeah. 7. If we boost our magic stat high enough can we get some visual feedback like, lets say, coloured fire? If your magic stat is below, I dunno 35 or something it stays normal colour but if you boost it higher it turns blue. Like Azula. 8. I liked Skyhold well enough but any chance of us getting something snugger and more customizable next time around? 9. Can straight male romances be strictly ugly, mannish and lesbian and everyone else get Beyonce level and up, pls? 10. Probably a critique that would show up in everyone's top 5 of DAI is huge, beautiful, empty spaces lacking in meaningful quests. That was completely and gleefully ignored when it came to MEA, should we expect the same of DA4? 11. I really liked the war table mechanic in DAI, I know not everyone did. I did not like its iteration in MEA, not because of the MP element (though that wasn't my favorite either) but because it was just completely gamified with no story attached. It came across as lazy. I did like that you had individual groups that could level up though, that was nice. Anyway, war table mechanic or something similar in DA4? 12. EA hasn't turned the game into an MMO... right? Right? 13. Any plans for more lorebooks in the vein of WoT? I know you guys seemed to have exhausted some/most of the more obvious stuff but I'd totally buy a walking tour of Minrathous or something. 14. Which former companion would you be the least surprised to see in Tevinter (Dorian doesn't count)?
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9583
0
Nov 27, 2017 14:40:55 GMT
803
warden
1,158
Nov 25, 2017 22:12:36 GMT
November 2017
warden
https://images4.alphacoders.com/101/thumb-1920-1010967.png
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR
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Post by warden on Dec 28, 2017 21:22:26 GMT
you are asking for trouble and you will get it.
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House Targaryen
N5
The night is dark and full of terrors, but the fire burns them all away.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
Origin: gscott7833
Prime Posts: 1,584
Posts: 4,535 Likes: 10,214
inherit
621
0
10,214
House Targaryen
The night is dark and full of terrors, but the fire burns them all away.
4,535
August 2016
thehound
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda
gscott7833
1,584
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Post by House Targaryen on Dec 28, 2017 21:31:44 GMT
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inherit
Friend of Red Jenny
90
0
18,890
vertigomez
5,281
August 2016
vertigomez
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Post by vertigomez on Dec 28, 2017 21:44:40 GMT
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inherit
1439
0
May 16, 2024 15:46:00 GMT
12,460
witchcocktor
4,037
Sept 6, 2016 10:00:37 GMT
September 2016
witchcocktor
Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by witchcocktor on Dec 28, 2017 21:44:53 GMT
1. Do you have any plans on making qunari and elves look less like big humans and slender humans? 2. Do you ever regret making mages such a big focus in the DA world setting? 3. How do you explain the difference in attitude towards homosexuality in different areas of Thedas? 4. Why can't elves grow facial hair? They'd be hot with facial hair...
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Friend of Red Jenny
90
0
18,890
vertigomez
5,281
August 2016
vertigomez
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Post by vertigomez on Dec 28, 2017 21:52:05 GMT
Why are all the butch women hetero? Can I kiss Calpernia in the next game? Can I kiss a dwarf in the next game? Why are there no flails? Flails are badass. Why does my dwarf look like she's wearing a bullet bra? Why do you feel the need to kill off at least one whole Dalish clan per game? Is Zevran okay? Is he eating well? I'm worried about him. Why do so many nobles only have one kid? You at least need an heir and a spare. Are there other races besides dwarves/elves/humans/qunari and their mutated darkspawn brethren?
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inherit
3318
0
3,791
Psychevore
1,577
February 2017
psychevore
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda, Mass Effect Legendary Edition
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Post by Psychevore on Dec 28, 2017 23:03:32 GMT
Why do so many nobles only have one kid? You at least need an heir and a spare.And that's when I spilled my drink.
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inherit
1482
0
3,373
Fredward
1,342
September 2016
fredward
http://bsn.boards.net/board/40/dragon-age-4
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Post by Fredward on Dec 29, 2017 6:09:56 GMT
you are asking for trouble and you will get it. Noo...? 1. Do you have any plans on making qunari and elves look less like big humans and slender humans? Hope so, especially for elves. I really want them to get an ethereal/otherwordly-but-not-uncanny-valley look nailed down. 2. Do you ever regret making mages such a big focus in the DA world setting? They could fix it by making mages the default class that can layer warrior/rogue/pure mage on top. Dwarves would have to be ditched though. 3. How do you explain the difference in attitude towards homosexuality in different areas of Thedas? You could probably measure it by 1) the importance of breeding and 2) importance of adhering to mainstream cultural expectations (externally) wrt that culture. Can I kiss Calpernia in the next game? Yes. Can I kiss a dwarf in the next game? No. Why do you feel the need to kill off at least one whole Dalish clan per game? Have you met the Dalish? Are there other races besides dwarves/elves/humans/qunari and their mutated darkspawn brethren? Weird lizard people we heard about in Descent maybe? Unless they're the OG Qunari, which I suppose is possible. There's also the Fex but they may or may not be retconned.
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529
0
7,815
Nightscrawl
3,266
August 2016
nightscrawl
Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Nightscrawl on Dec 29, 2017 9:20:14 GMT
13. Any plans for more lorebooks in the vein of WoT? I know you guys seemed to have exhausted some/most of the more obvious stuff but I'd totally buy a walking tour of Minrathous or something. I'm hoping they release another one after the next game so that they can have similar character info bits, as in Vol. 2. I thought those were the most interesting aspect of the entire book, allowing them to expand on characters in a way that the game itself doesn't allow for. Why do so many nobles only have one kid? You at least need an heir and a spare. I don't know why so many people focus on this. It's not some huge problem. Let's just take the noble families we know from the games. Cousland, two children. Amell, two children. Guerrin, three children. Aeducan, three children. Vale, three children. de Chalons (Gaspard's family), two children. Trevelyan, at least two, possibly more. There are some other noble families in codices with multiple children as well. I'm going to assume that Maric and his wife, Rowan, only had the one kid because, as we see from The Stolen Throne, while he may love her, he doesn't show very much sexual attraction to her. The same goes for her, who was in love with Loghain. I just assume they didn't have much sex in general. Then she died. I don't imagine that Cailan and Anora were having very much sex, either, due to similar reasons. We know the Pavus parents loathe each other, so once they got their mage kid, I'm sure they were happy to no longer be having sex. I'm thinking that Maevaris's mother died when she was young, so that explains that. I don't have an explanation for Alexius. So that's seven families with multiple children that we're aware of, and five families with a single child that were aware of.
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inherit
529
0
7,815
Nightscrawl
3,266
August 2016
nightscrawl
Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Nightscrawl on Dec 29, 2017 9:41:06 GMT
2. Do you ever regret making mages such a big focus in the DA world setting? I really like this question. Because of the way magic works, and how it's connected to the player classes, it's difficult to have story segregated from the gameplay, especially when it comes to things like races (dwarves can't use magic), lyrium addiction, or reactivity. I think may mage players in DA2 were a bit put off at the lack of reactivity to your class. While some of it is down to lack of resources and time, not ALL of it. They haven't shown a willingness to have vastly different player experience for things based on class or race. But, you know, even with these technical hurdles, I'm quite pleased that they did have it this way. I think it gives Dragon Age a unique flavor from other fantasy settings with magic, especially with the duality of the mages being downtrodden in the South, while they are in power in Tevinter. Those two states make for interesting storytelling. They did. You may not like the answer given, but it was explained. In Tevinter, the nobility has a high emphasis on presentation and expectation, as well as a focus on marriage and breeding to produce "the perfect mage," so homosexual behavior is discouraged if it interferes with those things. If you can keep it behind closed doors and do your duty, they don't care. Dorian outright says "it's accepted" but adds the caveat that it must be for pleasure only, no more. Since Dorian is nobility, the focus was on that aspect of it for him, but I doubt the normal folks in Tevinter view it the same way. Why would they? So really, it's only among that specific social class. That is the explanation given, both in game by Dorian, in the Sexuality in Thedas codex, as well as by the devs themselves in forum posts.
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1482
0
3,373
Fredward
1,342
September 2016
fredward
http://bsn.boards.net/board/40/dragon-age-4
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Post by Fredward on Dec 29, 2017 9:42:45 GMT
^ From a purely fiction/historical based perspective succession crises are waaay more likely when there isn't a clear heir, rulers know this (and generally care about the concept of dynasty) so reproducing is pretty important. I dunno in what sense you mean "huge problem" but to my mind it seems like a potential plot device (ie rash of assassination, succession crises, chaos for everyone) and I'm only really interested in ruling families, not noble reproductive habits in general.
WEWH is easily my favourite quest in DAI but it seems to have a LOT of moving parts, and thus presumably cost quite a bit, was the investment considered worth it?
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inherit
529
0
7,815
Nightscrawl
3,266
August 2016
nightscrawl
Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Nightscrawl on Dec 29, 2017 9:59:20 GMT
I dunno in what sense you mean "huge problem" but to my mind it seems like a potential plot device (ie rash of assassination, succession crises, chaos for everyone) and I'm only really interested in ruling families, not noble reproductive habits in general. When I say "huge problem" I'm referring to the way the issue is discussed, and that it seems overblown and exaggerated, which is why I took the time to point out all of those noble families with multiple children. Another aspect of it is likely to do with gameplay, story simplicity (single child Felix), or plot convenience (single child Dorian). While you may be only concerned with ruling families, most people discuss the issue relating to nobility in general, especially since it's a plot point for Dorian and, presumably, he would have faced less pressure if his parents had had another child to foist their ambitions on. 11. I really liked the war table mechanic in DAI, I know not everyone did. I did not like its iteration in MEA, not because of the MP element (though that wasn't my favorite either) but because it was just completely gamified with no story attached. It came across as lazy. I did like that you had individual groups that could level up though, that was nice. Anyway, war table mechanic or something similar in DA4? This is interesting. I hadn't thought of the MEA missions like the war table, mainly because of the way table is loosely connected to the plot and just seems more dynamic overall than what we got in MEA. In DAI, I like how you can have chain missions that are a small story, or how things can change based on your followers, and so on. The MEA one doesn't any such dynamism. I actually do like it because it helped me feel like I was fulfilling the role of Inquisitor, the leader of the Inquisition. Even though I went out on my own missions, I still had to give orders and direction as the leader of the organization. I quite enjoyed that roleplay aspect of it.
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inherit
1439
0
May 16, 2024 15:46:00 GMT
12,460
witchcocktor
4,037
Sept 6, 2016 10:00:37 GMT
September 2016
witchcocktor
Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by witchcocktor on Dec 29, 2017 14:41:22 GMT
2. Do you ever regret making mages such a big focus in the DA world setting? I really like this question. Because of the way magic works, and how it's connected to the player classes, it's difficult to have story segregated from the gameplay, especially when it comes to things like races (dwarves can't use magic), lyrium addiction, or reactivity. I think may mage players in DA2 were a bit put off at the lack of reactivity to your class. While some of it is down to lack of resources and time, not ALL of it. They haven't shown a willingness to have vastly different player experience for things based on class or race. But, you know, even with these technical hurdles, I'm quite pleased that they did have it this way. I think it gives Dragon Age a unique flavor from other fantasy settings with magic, especially with the duality of the mages being downtrodden in the South, while they are in power in Tevinter. Those two states make for interesting storytelling. They did. You may not like the answer given, but it was explained. In Tevinter, the nobility has a high emphasis on presentation and expectation, as well as a focus on marriage and breeding to produce "the perfect mage," so homosexual behavior is discouraged if it interferes with those things. If you can keep it behind closed doors and do your duty, they don't care. Dorian outright says "it's accepted" but adds the caveat that it must be for pleasure only, no more. Since Dorian is nobility, the focus was on that aspect of it for him, but I doubt the normal folks in Tevinter view it the same way. Why would they? So really, it's only among that specific social class. That is the explanation given, both in game by Dorian, in the Sexuality in Thedas codex, as well as by the devs themselves in forum posts. Regarding mages, it just makes picking the mage class, you are trodden with lore baggage, very HEAVY lore baggage, when all I want is to cast spells and not have to have a political stance on mages. Picking a race can have lore baggage because it doesn't really affect gameplay much, but picking your class does. And what sucks even more that there's no different culture between different kind of mages, at least it's not emphasized enough. No matter what specialization you pick, you are just a mage, nothing else, you are as ostracized/oppressed or celebrated as any other kind of mage. And honestly, I just want to be a druid, but I can't. Yes, but that's just Tevinter. How do you explain the difference between Orlais and Ferelden, for instance? Especially Orlais, where it seems to just be seen as a quirk, nothing else.
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1130
0
May 16, 2024 15:37:15 GMT
438
wickedcool
675
Aug 22, 2016 13:08:32 GMT
August 2016
wickedcool
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Post by wickedcool on Dec 29, 2017 16:20:32 GMT
1) are the executioners human? 2) the felandris demon etc- where they there before the rift happens 3) envy demon turns into a stone golem type creature during the battle. Was that an unused model/asset and is there a point to the shifting 4) what origin Minor characters from dao didn’t survive in their canon? 5) do the cave drawings actually have any meaning or strange drawing such as the ones in skyhold 6)imshael and Corypheus-who sought out who
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529
0
7,815
Nightscrawl
3,266
August 2016
nightscrawl
Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by Nightscrawl on Dec 29, 2017 19:51:53 GMT
Yes, but that's just Tevinter. How do you explain the difference between Orlais and Ferelden, for instance? Especially Orlais, where it seems to just be seen as a quirk, nothing else. Real-world prejudice against the French and seeing them as effete. I'm serious about this. I'm replaying DAO now and there are lines where you have Fereldens calling Orlesians "fops" and so on.
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inherit
✜ Forge Mechanic
352
0
Aug 30, 2023 16:01:17 GMT
6,256
PapaCharlie9
3,851
August 2016
papacharlie9
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by PapaCharlie9 on Dec 29, 2017 21:31:09 GMT
More a story question than dev, but w/e: Why do you (Bioware, DA team) hate parents and parenting so much?
We play a character that is an orphan or whose parents are killed while we're on the scene, in several incarnations.
Our companions are orphans, bastards, magical constructs, creche spawn, or combinations of the above.
Why can't people have more-or-less intact families with two parents, 2.5 kids and grandparents? When someone does have two parents, one or both of them are deeply flawed, if not outright evil. Or they die while we're on the scene.
When it's easier to count on one hand the characters (PC or NPC) that have more-or-less intact families with unremarkable parents, than the ones that don't, something is up.
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correctamundo
N5
Dr Obfuscate
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
Origin: correctamundo1
Prime Posts: A thousand and then some.
Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me!
Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
inherit
Dr Obfuscate
807
0
Nov 10, 2023 13:59:26 GMT
5,270
correctamundo
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
2,830
August 2016
correctamundo
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
correctamundo1
A thousand and then some.
They never liked me! No one likes me!
|
Post by correctamundo on Dec 31, 2017 16:35:26 GMT
I really like this question. Because of the way magic works, and how it's connected to the player classes, it's difficult to have story segregated from the gameplay, especially when it comes to things like races (dwarves can't use magic), lyrium addiction, or reactivity. I think may mage players in DA2 were a bit put off at the lack of reactivity to your class. While some of it is down to lack of resources and time, not ALL of it. They haven't shown a willingness to have vastly different player experience for things based on class or race. But, you know, even with these technical hurdles, I'm quite pleased that they did have it this way. I think it gives Dragon Age a unique flavor from other fantasy settings with magic, especially with the duality of the mages being downtrodden in the South, while they are in power in Tevinter. Those two states make for interesting storytelling. They did. You may not like the answer given, but it was explained. In Tevinter, the nobility has a high emphasis on presentation and expectation, as well as a focus on marriage and breeding to produce "the perfect mage," so homosexual behavior is discouraged if it interferes with those things. If you can keep it behind closed doors and do your duty, they don't care. Dorian outright says "it's accepted" but adds the caveat that it must be for pleasure only, no more. Since Dorian is nobility, the focus was on that aspect of it for him, but I doubt the normal folks in Tevinter view it the same way. Why would they? So really, it's only among that specific social class. That is the explanation given, both in game by Dorian, in the Sexuality in Thedas codex, as well as by the devs themselves in forum posts. Regarding mages, it just makes picking the mage class, you are trodden with lore baggage, very HEAVY lore baggage, when all I want is to cast spells and not have to have a political stance on mages. Picking a race can have lore baggage because it doesn't really affect gameplay much, but picking your class does. And what sucks even more that there's no different culture between different kind of mages, at least it's not emphasized enough. No matter what specialization you pick, you are just a mage, nothing else, you are as ostracized/oppressed or celebrated as any other kind of mage. And honestly, I just want to be a druid, but I can't. If you take away the lore baggage all your left with is some everyday generic D&D fantasy world. To me it is the lore baggage and the ambiguity around it that makes the whole setting interesting.
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inherit
1439
0
May 16, 2024 15:46:00 GMT
12,460
witchcocktor
4,037
Sept 6, 2016 10:00:37 GMT
September 2016
witchcocktor
Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by witchcocktor on Dec 31, 2017 16:37:59 GMT
Regarding mages, it just makes picking the mage class, you are trodden with lore baggage, very HEAVY lore baggage, when all I want is to cast spells and not have to have a political stance on mages. Picking a race can have lore baggage because it doesn't really affect gameplay much, but picking your class does. And what sucks even more that there's no different culture between different kind of mages, at least it's not emphasized enough. No matter what specialization you pick, you are just a mage, nothing else, you are as ostracized/oppressed or celebrated as any other kind of mage. And honestly, I just want to be a druid, but I can't. If you take away the lore baggage all your left with is some everyday generic D&D fantasy world. To me it is the lore baggage and the ambiguity around it that makes the whole setting interesting. Yes I'm sure, but I'm indifferent about the world setting of Dragon Age that much, and when it fucks with my class selection, that's even worse.
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correctamundo
N5
Dr Obfuscate
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
Origin: correctamundo1
Prime Posts: A thousand and then some.
Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me!
Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
inherit
Dr Obfuscate
807
0
Nov 10, 2023 13:59:26 GMT
5,270
correctamundo
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
2,830
August 2016
correctamundo
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
correctamundo1
A thousand and then some.
They never liked me! No one likes me!
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Post by correctamundo on Dec 31, 2017 23:19:56 GMT
If you take away the lore baggage all your left with is some everyday generic D&D fantasy world. To me it is the lore baggage and the ambiguity around it that makes the whole setting interesting. Yes I'm sure, but I'm indifferent about the world setting of Dragon Age that much, and when it fucks with my class selection, that's even worse. Ok. To me class is an unnecessary limitation on the character building in role-playing games. I did start out with D&D basiic set in 1980 but a friend of a friend had the 2nd (I think) edition RuneQuest rulebook and myself I bought the Traveller role playing game and these were both classless, skillbased rulesets. There was no going back after that. Class is such a bizarre concept.
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inherit
✜ Forge Mechanic
352
0
Aug 30, 2023 16:01:17 GMT
6,256
PapaCharlie9
3,851
August 2016
papacharlie9
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by PapaCharlie9 on Jan 1, 2018 0:18:28 GMT
Yes I'm sure, but I'm indifferent about the world setting of Dragon Age that much, and when it fucks with my class selection, that's even worse. Ok. To me class is an unnecessary limitation on the character building in role-playing games. I did start out with D&D basiic set in 1980 but a friend of a friend had the 2nd (I think) edition RuneQuest rulebook and myself I bought the Traveller role playing game and these were both classless, skillbased rulesets. There was no going back after that. Class is such a bizarre concept. Amen. But that ship has sailed for the DA franchise. Look at how much grief has been given over the loss of the "healer" class as of DAI. I mean, I don't get what all the fuss is about wrt classes, and since ME pretty much split the difference with multi-classing in the OT, not to mention a full on skills system in MEA, without doing harm to the lore, I don't see why it can't be patched into DA. But, like I said, there's too much opposition.
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correctamundo
N5
Dr Obfuscate
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
Games: Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
Origin: correctamundo1
Prime Posts: A thousand and then some.
Prime Likes: They never liked me! No one likes me!
Posts: 2,830 Likes: 5,270
inherit
Dr Obfuscate
807
0
Nov 10, 2023 13:59:26 GMT
5,270
correctamundo
Don't knock the little winds. They're important - for morale.
2,830
August 2016
correctamundo
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age Inquisition, KOTOR, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Mass Effect Andromeda, SWTOR, Anthem
correctamundo1
A thousand and then some.
They never liked me! No one likes me!
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Post by correctamundo on Jan 1, 2018 2:59:19 GMT
Ok. To me class is an unnecessary limitation on the character building in role-playing games. I did start out with D&D basiic set in 1980 but a friend of a friend had the 2nd (I think) edition RuneQuest rulebook and myself I bought the Traveller role playing game and these were both classless, skillbased rulesets. There was no going back after that. Class is such a bizarre concept. Amen. But that ship has sailed for the DA franchise. Look at how much grief has been given over the loss of the "healer" class as of DAI. I mean, I don't get what all the fuss is about wrt classes, and since ME pretty much split the difference with multi-classing in the OT, not to mention a full on skills system in MEA, without doing harm to the lore, I don't see why it can't be patched into DA. But, like I said, there's too much opposition. I guess mage would be the one true instance in Thedas were class would make sense, but still that would be a rather broad stroke. Magic or no magic is character defining in Thedas but apart from that, skills please.
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inherit
✜ Forge Mechanic
352
0
Aug 30, 2023 16:01:17 GMT
6,256
PapaCharlie9
3,851
August 2016
papacharlie9
Mass Effect Trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect Andromeda
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Post by PapaCharlie9 on Jan 1, 2018 17:55:33 GMT
Amen. But that ship has sailed for the DA franchise. Look at how much grief has been given over the loss of the "healer" class as of DAI. I mean, I don't get what all the fuss is about wrt classes, and since ME pretty much split the difference with multi-classing in the OT, not to mention a full on skills system in MEA, without doing harm to the lore, I don't see why it can't be patched into DA. But, like I said, there's too much opposition. I guess mage would be the one true instance in Thedas were class would make sense, but still that would be a rather broad stroke. Magic or no magic is character defining in Thedas but apart from that, skills please. Sure, but that need not be represented as a class. You either do or do not have access to the Fade (i.e., magic) -- fine. That's a trait like any other trait, like race or gender. We don't turn your race into a class, so why would access to the Fade be restricted to a class? You either take the magic trait or you don't, and then you go on to learn weapon and armor skills. AFAIK there is nothing in lore that says a mage can't use heavy armor and a sword -- that's just gameplay balance bleeding into the game world. And what the heck is a class anyway? A career? A faction? A cult (in the case of Reaver)? A guild certification? It's so weird when characters in DA talk about your specialization, like class and spec are real things in lore.
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Post by Nightscrawl on Jan 1, 2018 22:29:59 GMT
And what the heck is a class anyway? A career? A faction? A cult (in the case of Reaver)? A guild certification? It's so weird when characters in DA talk about your specialization, like class and spec are real things in lore. I don't think so at all. All instances I can think of were worked into the setting's language and circumstances. It depends on how it's done. When Fenris refers to "warriors such as myself," he means fighters with pseudo-magical abilities. Both templars and grey wardens have been referred to as "warriors." Even the use of warrior in our own real-world doesn't refer to the RPG class and that is how it is typically used in the games. Being a reaver, a berserker, or a templar are all specific skill sets that you learn that have specific lore behind them, so it does make sense to use those names. Berserking was originally "a dwarven discipline" that has since spread beyond the dwarven kingdoms, so it's natural to refer to someone who masters those skills as a berserker. Templar is both a job description and something that a person becomes once they start taking lyrium; in DAO, you can ask the comrade of a lyrium-addled templar why he doesn't stop taking it and the response is, "Because he wouldn't be a templar anymore." Grey warden is similar in that it is a job description as well as something that one physically becomes; you are a warden for life due to the Joining, even if you leave, as Anders and (King) Alistair. Other than a few references to someone being an assassin -- Zevran, who is a literal assassin -- or a thief, the rogue isn't referenced much, from my experience; assassin and bard seem to be the most common uses, which are both vocations. The mage specs in DAI were very well done in that regard, because you do learn them from trainers that mastered those abilities; necromancy has long been a specialized area of study for mages, as has blood magic and spirit healing. Do you think it's weird to refer to Morrigan as "a shape shifter"? That is the spec in the game, but also a skill she has mastered and something she is that most mages are not.
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Post by vertigomez on Jan 1, 2018 22:42:58 GMT
^ Rogue is used a handful of times. That's actually the only one that's weird for me, because IRL it usually just means someone is a scoundrel or follows their own rules, but... I guess it's used more specifically in Thedas? Anyway, Tabris refers to their mother as "a clever rogue" and a romanced Isabela tells Tallis that Hawke "prefers rogues."
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Post by Nightscrawl on Jan 1, 2018 22:47:30 GMT
^ Rogue is used a handful of times. That's actually the only one that's weird for me, because IRL it usually just means someone is a scoundrel or follows their own rules, but... I guess it's used more specifically in Thedas? Anyway, Tabris refers to their mother as "a clever rogue" and a romanced Isabela tells Tallis that Hawke "prefers rogues." You can definitely say that Isabela has a roguish personality, so that's not too bad. Tabris's mom could also, we don't really know, do we?
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