Dragon Age The Veilguard Criticism Thread (formerly Skepticism Thread) [Spoilers]

Logic doesn't have anything to do with it. DA games have never even tried to be simulations.

And anyone who pretends that he really cares about logic needs to explain how he tolerated DA:O's Threat mechanics.

You got to admit, this is a super pedantic argument that took place ten years ago...

Actually this is the Skepticism thread, so they can talk about how the romances are going to suck. 

Tell you what. Name me 5 games that handle enemies respawning the same way DA2 does, in the past 9 years since and I will accept it is irrelevant.

It was just an observation, intended to be humorous. Attempting to be funny on the internet is one of the things I do to stave off the urge to harm myself.

I am remaining optimistic about the game for now. Very glad there is some visible progress. This is the point in game development information, though, where everything seems possible and the realities of deadlines and cut content is not yet visible. Not even specific things like the Crestwood boat burning scenes; hearing that we'll go to Val Royeaux and explore Orlais, only to have Val Royeaux be one market street, barely any NPCs to interact with and enormous maps with one or two NPCs with which to interact. The screenshots of the Emerald Graves and Hissing Wastes are lovely but the reality is collecting shards, sonar to find hidden bottles, respawning bears every ten seconds, spending ten minutes trying to jump one metre up a hillside and realising I need to backtrack and find a different way to reach the hilltop.

Main concerns at this point:

-Lessons from DAI not learned. Large beautiful maps that feel lifeless. Collectibles. Multiplayer UI influencing single player UI (I believe the change in the combat wheel and consumables was a choice to match the limitations of multiplayer combat rather than an intentional evolution of combat)

-Cities and towns having only two NPCs to speak with and not loads of content. Minrathous being one screen (granted Denerim was also guilty of this for the most part, but it's a backwater compared to Val Royeaux and Minrathous)

-Reliance on secondary media to fill in information like Wicked Hearts

-Teasing at providing answers but actually ending up with more questions (looking at you, The Descent)
-Answering some mysteries in an unsatisfying way or revising plots (Hawke went to Weisshaupt and wasn't heard from again and then in Trespasser they were back in Kirkwall with no details?)

-Another cliffhanger ending with the Veil, Solas, Enuvaris, the Blight, titans, whatever. Let us resolve all of that in this game and have the next game be about something else. Have it be the fallout of our actions in this game, fine, but don't tease about the Veil coming down and releasing the Enuvaris but only have that happen at the end of the game TBC



Main hopes:

-Companions have their own variations of specialisations again like DA2.

-Same quality in companions (and advisors) writing and romance. Multi stage companion quests like DA2

-Advisors in some role. Whether actual advisors or other non-companion who is still a fleshed out NPC. Granted Leliana and Cullen already had two games to provide the groundwork. But I enjoyed having them and Josie at base. In comparison to the much less fleshed out Joker, Chakwas, etc as examples of other Bioware non-companion NPCs at base.

-Decent amount of exploration. Much larger Minrathous than Val Royeaux, at least one other Tevinter city, at least one map in Anderfels, Rivain, Antiva, Nevarra, Seheron. Grand Necropolis would be great, as would Kal Sharok. I want to go back to DAO levels of urban areas. Lothering (RIP), Dalish camp, multiple maps in Orzammar, Denerim, Circle, Redcliffe. DAI felt like Haven/Skyhold was the main urban area. Sarnia was three NPCs, Crestwood felt empty and scattered, Dalish camp felt small, Fallow Mire village was abandoned. Redcliffe was all right and Frostback Basin was great.

-I would love for the majority of the lands in our current Thedas map to be explored by this game. Leave the next game to go off the map, whether to Par Vollen, past the Anderfels, across the ocean to the executors, etc. The stakes for this game should be saving Thedas as we know it and the next game should be about leaving Thedas as we know it.

Don't forget also the Warden going somewhere vaguely off the map in the west searching for a cure for the taint, with no reason why they should think that was the place to go, and then if in a romance with Leliana back with her at the end but nothing further on whether the quest was successful or not.

For me its primarily regarding exploration gameplay + future plot of the series

For gameplay, if they proceed with the sandbox level design that Inquisition had, that they don't sufficiently improve the traversal mechanics,which even felt dated in 2014.
-Lack of a sprint button (worst offence for areas that big)
-Mounts felt "floaty", didn't move fast enough & you miss out on party banter (the rare times it even triggered )
-Dodgy platforming consisting of a measly jump button. I'm not asking for assassins creed, but I feel they need to improve this.

For story, that they don't sufficiently progress or conclude the Solas/Inquisition plot.

Trespasser did a good job setting the stage for the next game but seeing as DA4 is taking place in a new country with a whole new cast of main characters I'm concerned that they won't have the resources to tackle both Tevinter's culture/politics & Solas' genocide/world ending conspiracy in the same game & do both plots justice.

Seeing as it will probably be 2023/ 2024 before this game comes out, I'd like them to set the stage for the next big/ main conflict that is going to end the series in DA5 & DA6. I'd like them to end the series (current plots & character stories) in 3 more games, especially if it's going to be 10 years in between games with the Mass Effect & Anthem reboots in the pipeline.