Patch 1.08 notes and discussion (June 8, 8AM PDT)

Jun 7, 2017 14:16:23 GMT Iakus said:

I played a female Dalish elf just to do the Solas romance.

It's not the worst, it simply encouraged me to try something new.

Not everyone plays the game in a way of repeat play-throughs to sample all content. I prefer a run where I can play a PC that I totally adore AND with a grand lovestory. Inquisition gating prevented me from ever being able to satisfy my playstyle.

And the difference in how the LIs interpret a male and a female avatar is grating, because it is only the female that is locked out based on race, and because the initial options for a female PC are... not great.

On the other hand, DA2 was right on the money with that.

Jun 7, 2017 14:18:32 GMT akrabra said:

Ok then lets just say it as it is. Dragon Age had 4 races, all different heights, so each scene has to be touched up and possibly re-done per race. That means a lot of work compared to something like Andromeda. They probably didn't have the time or budget to squeeze in all races for both Solas and Cullen who was both added late in the production as romances. Therefore they pulled the lore card.

Also to Blackwall's defense. You don't know if Blackwall killed the children, you only know he ordered the mission to be carried out. Also to his defense he didn't know Lord Callier would be traveling with his family. It was greed and bad luck combined. 

Small edit - I would've cut Qunari as a playable race. I don't think it added enough to the game to be justified.

And... you would have cut the reason I bought Inquisition.

Apparently there were enough resources to re-animate the scene for a male PC in Andromeda and enough resources to let all MALE PC scenes animated for all heights and BT in Inquisition.

But, females... no, that's where we draw the line. Not to mention stuff like SWTOR where there was money found to re-animate the Hunter so that a MALE could get his straight kiss but no money to voice ONE line that a Female can get her romance concluded instead of being laughed in the face.

And, the only way to alleviate all the angst & problems is to go back to DA2 style, and that's that.

Jun 7, 2017 14:32:27 GMT Iakus said:

So do I.  But I don't limit myself to one grand story.  The best RPGs are the ones which can tell many different stories  

And keep in mind in DAI, the race-gated romances were originally not going to be in the game AT ALL.  They were put in with the extra year of development.  Take them out, and the romance proportions are actually ideal:  2/2/2 (2 straight, Cassandra and Blackwall, 2 bi, Iron Bull and Josephine, and 2 gay, Dorian and Sera) That there are 2 extra romances for female characters, even race-gated, were a BONUS.  

Argue quality if you like.  But quantity-wise, DAI was more than fair.

Quality is why the extra romances are the most popular for female PCs.

Cassandra is plot-important, and an extremely special character that you cannot play without. Blackwall is a B-lister at best, and looks terrible. Dorian is introduced in a major questline with a unique segment where he breaks out of the prison with the PC, and you interact with his mentor, his friend, and his family. Sera is found in a remote black alley as an optional encounter. Iron Bull is fat, old, ugly (compared to gorgeous Qunari you could make in the CC) and offers sexual practices that are borderline slapstick and frightful, while Jospehine is gorgeous, pleasant, and immersed in the gardens, theaters and embodies every virtue known to humanity.

You need to be particularly contrarian or play a devil's advocate to see more attractiveness in choices on offer for a female in the initial line up than for a male. If you are not attracted to women, playing a female in the original line up is all about consistently less interesting/attractive choices.

Jun 7, 2017 14:45:19 GMT Iakus said:

The protagonist is (or should be) your character to create and play.  But Jaal is not your character or mine.  Nor is Cora, Lexi, Drack, Vetra, etc.  Those characters should be their own people, with their own likes, dislikes, and agendas that don't necessarily line up with yours.  That's what makes the stories feel alive.  

I mean, I thought it was a shame that Aveline never picked up on my flirts, and went on to marry someone else.  But you know what?  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Aveline picked up on NOBODY's flirts, and that's what is important to me. That I was NOT made to feel that MY choices of the PC were sub-par and was treated as second-best in terms of content.

I hope that changing Jaal to Bi is the first sign that they now finally understand that DA2 choice is the best.