Missed opportunities for a deeper insight into the Inquisitor
Aug 14, 2018 19:30:17 GMT
Catilina and Templar Knight like this
Post by Slyvalyth on Aug 14, 2018 19:30:17 GMT
I've never played the last two Dragon Age but immediately took to (and hooked on) DAI, especially the intriguing, rich and complex story. I made two characters - a rift mage and a reaver warrior - just to play through the quest lines with different responses. While players get to know the team members' backstories and their personal struggles, I don't get the same satisfaction of knowing my own character aside from the short text I read after choosing my race or that interaction in having my teammates getting to know me. This is where I see some missed opportunities in the story development which I truly hope can be refined in the next Dragon Age....please :-)
At Haven:
Cassandra is the only person who asks to get to know Trevelyan better with which the player can respond to in different ways. However, it goes no further than to say I'm (Trevelyan) from a noble family in Oswick. Regardless of which class I play, Cullan could have asked where and who I received my training from. Josephine could have asked how I approached or negotiated for the peace between templars and mages at the conclave before I accidentally discovered Corypheus. Leliana could have asked what I was doing before I heard Divine Justina's call for help in her chamber. These questions relate to their specialty as Trevelyan's soon-to-be advisors so they don't seem out of place nor will these responses dictate how the players will decide how Trevelyan will lead the inquisition for the rest of the game.
Here Lies The Abyss:
As I played through this plot point/questline again, I felt that the taunts on Trevelyan were too weak to seem "disturbing" or nightmarish. Depending on the player's response after completing Cullen's "Perseverance" quest, that response could have triggered a list of taunts relating to Trevelyan's fears about his leadership role. Tons of spider eyes can suggest that Trevelyan is afraid of the scrutiny of his/her abilities to lead or his/her inner strength or wisdom AND how he/she is the reason for the explosion at the conclave that killed everyone = guilt (even though it's really not Trevelyan's fault). Taunts could also trigger fear of loosing someone s/he's is in love with which could be answered by Trevelyan's romance partner (if that person is in the group). Corypheus hints at Trevelyan's childhood fears by calling him/her a little child so it was a little disappointing not to hear what the terrors and trepidations are for Trevelyan from childhood that has risen since he/she fell into the fade the first time.
The memories Trevelyan regains are inconsistent with the flashback cutscene of Divine Justina being held against her will. Trevelyan could not have heard the conversation because s/he showed up only AFTER her cry of help. It's more like Justina's memories got implanted into Trevelyan. Memories could be used more effectively if in abstract as Trevelyan hears his/her own screams of being blasted into a nightmarish landscape of the fade, fending off demons and spiders, and overwhelmed by the cries of tortured spirits (as suggested by the letters players find and reads. They are amazingly sad by the way.)
For the visceral affect, battling groups of spiders did not bring fear in me as the player. However, if my entire party got suddenly wrapped in spider webs to leave me to battle two Pride demons on my own, THEN my anxiety would go up. Well, I could use a couple bursts of protection spell from Hawk or my mage as they struggle out of their binding.
I have not finished the entire game with either of my characters yet so my suggestions goes as far as this.
At Haven:
Cassandra is the only person who asks to get to know Trevelyan better with which the player can respond to in different ways. However, it goes no further than to say I'm (Trevelyan) from a noble family in Oswick. Regardless of which class I play, Cullan could have asked where and who I received my training from. Josephine could have asked how I approached or negotiated for the peace between templars and mages at the conclave before I accidentally discovered Corypheus. Leliana could have asked what I was doing before I heard Divine Justina's call for help in her chamber. These questions relate to their specialty as Trevelyan's soon-to-be advisors so they don't seem out of place nor will these responses dictate how the players will decide how Trevelyan will lead the inquisition for the rest of the game.
Here Lies The Abyss:
As I played through this plot point/questline again, I felt that the taunts on Trevelyan were too weak to seem "disturbing" or nightmarish. Depending on the player's response after completing Cullen's "Perseverance" quest, that response could have triggered a list of taunts relating to Trevelyan's fears about his leadership role. Tons of spider eyes can suggest that Trevelyan is afraid of the scrutiny of his/her abilities to lead or his/her inner strength or wisdom AND how he/she is the reason for the explosion at the conclave that killed everyone = guilt (even though it's really not Trevelyan's fault). Taunts could also trigger fear of loosing someone s/he's is in love with which could be answered by Trevelyan's romance partner (if that person is in the group). Corypheus hints at Trevelyan's childhood fears by calling him/her a little child so it was a little disappointing not to hear what the terrors and trepidations are for Trevelyan from childhood that has risen since he/she fell into the fade the first time.
The memories Trevelyan regains are inconsistent with the flashback cutscene of Divine Justina being held against her will. Trevelyan could not have heard the conversation because s/he showed up only AFTER her cry of help. It's more like Justina's memories got implanted into Trevelyan. Memories could be used more effectively if in abstract as Trevelyan hears his/her own screams of being blasted into a nightmarish landscape of the fade, fending off demons and spiders, and overwhelmed by the cries of tortured spirits (as suggested by the letters players find and reads. They are amazingly sad by the way.)
For the visceral affect, battling groups of spiders did not bring fear in me as the player. However, if my entire party got suddenly wrapped in spider webs to leave me to battle two Pride demons on my own, THEN my anxiety would go up. Well, I could use a couple bursts of protection spell from Hawk or my mage as they struggle out of their binding.
I have not finished the entire game with either of my characters yet so my suggestions goes as far as this.