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

It still bothers me that Solas went from that godly badass aura in Trespasser to being instantly beaten by a small group because they knocked over some pillars.

And apparently, he is demoted to helpful side character.

The second the toxic positivity crowd gets control of a fandom, either by majority or simply by succeeding in shouting down any contrasting opinions (and denouncing those who have legitimate concerns about the writing and gameplay as "haters") --- an IP's fate is doomed. There's a danger in surrounding yourself with Yes Men and sycophants, and everything I've seen of Bioware's development process strongly gives the implication that that's what's going on. 

Regarding Andromeda ---- as someone who's never been a Mass Effect fan, god it must suck to be a Mass Effect fan. The Andromeda Initiative as a narrative vehicle to sidestep/tangent away from the events of ME1-ME3 was so poorly handled and such a cluster****, and I don't understand how that as a concept got past its initial pitch in the writers room. A multi species, council approved cohesive initiative was awkwardly initiated between ME1 and ME2? It just bothers me all these years later. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but the idea of a spinoff game set in Andromeda had to exist in someway or another --- they should have taken a page out of Star Trek Voyager----with entire fleets or samples from each of the big races being isekai'd/kidnapped by some entity or space magic to the Andromeda Galaxy. Would it have sucked? Absolutely. Would it be contrived? No doubt. But it wouldn't have damn near broken everything about the species writing and world design that was established in Mass Effect prior to 2/3 at that point. (Hell, I'd even go a step further and have the kidnapping/relocation to Andromeda take place from different times. Maybe instead of being awkwardly sandwiched between 1-2, it could be somewhere between the First Contact War and before the events of 1.) 

Regarding ME3 and its legacy -- I don't know why *certain people* at Bioware insist on defending how much damage that game did to the franchise. Everything about ME3's development feels like a travesty of developer/writer hubris, and time and again I've seen that same hubris manifest in both the people responsible for DA4, and the influencers Bioware is choosing to elevate and legitimize by giving early access content to. Not to mention side stuff like core members of the team not knowing who Zevran is. 

I agree here except for that final sentence. Not saying anything would most assuredly not have been a good look. Imagine they said nothing, the game came out, and people saw only then the very few import choices; they'd have been skewered online for that. The way they're spinning the explanation doesn't sit well with me but at least they're getting that information out a month before release instead of saying nothing or letting it be known only a few days before release when people who preordered have already been charged.

I haven't followed much the discourse and everyone's reaction, but from what I could find, there were several of them who weren't happy when finding out about the import situation, and they did express their concern on Bioware, alongside other things that concerned them.

Granted, everyone has their own preferences and dislikes so their feedback could be varies, but given how every one of them are big DA fans, I really can't think of anyone that would say to Bioware that it was a great idea to reduce the import choices to Trespasser's plus romance. There are people here and on social that are more okay with the decision then others, but I think nobody would argue against having more import choices.

I said before in this threat, I think, that while I have concerns and I think it might be a risky move to shift the combat soo much, not only in terms of action but in regards of companions, I can at least understand the reasoning because there is apparently feedback and data that most players used mainly, if not only the Inquisitor in combat. I don't really see how they could think the vast majority of players would like those few import choices, given how invested the fanbase, and a lot of RPG players are, in making their own choices. And I do have concerns on how jarring things are going to be in game without those and mentioning certain past events and characters. I hope not too much, but we'll see.

I can't really find any other explanation other then going for a soft reboot and easing in new players (which I do think they're targeting, and I do think they need to do so) without the prospect of massive number of choices or references to those choices and the apparent feeling that you need to play all previous games to understand Veilguard.

Did they all say that they were fine with the combat changes?

That’s what people here have told me. That the council universally loved the new combat mechanics. Have you heard otherwise?

I would be pretty happy if they did emulate BG3. I somehow doubt it, though.

To be fair, I think while the skill trees in Origin are the best way to emulate the classes, I think just designating an opponent to attack and using a talent on occasion in Origins is a bit...dull. I think DA 2 got it the best out of the three, but it too could use some improvements. Just something about Inquisition's combat still felt off...but that could be due to more about how the companions sometimes felt like glass figurines.

He never had the makings of a varsity antagonist. Small hands. That was his problem.

Dragon Age has grown to probably be one of my favorite rpg series and because of the story telling with overlapping stories it became what can be argued as one of video games greatest Anthology Series, and I have enjoyed playing from the perspectives of the 3 heroes we have had so far. I even look forward to seeing how I add Rook to my hall of heroes during the Dragon Age in Thedas.

That being said I have to consider the fact Bioware never tried or attempted to factor in a way for All 4 Protagonist to show up on screen together is such a missed opportunity in gaming. I can't think of a video game series that at least use to have a 4 party system but also have a opportunity to have all 4 of its protagonist on a team in at least one big final mission together. And i say this basically meaning putting themselves in writing situations of completely writing off former protagonist vs just sidelining them.

Granted I can come up with a scenario using their current world state on how it would've all made sense. Hawke going to the Anderfels and The HoF trying to find a cure for the calling. Even if the HoF is dead the Warden Commander from Awakening could take their place. And if Hawke is in the Fade it would be a dope mission for the 3 heroes to enter the fade to save Hawke from Nightmare. Or imagine having a boss battle against Nightmare Hawke because you left him in the fade.

Honestly it just feels to me this could be the final game even though they kinda state they want to make more and I'd like more. But I felt like even the Elven God's seemed like we rushed to them pretty quick if this series was a 5 game planned story. Rook could've established himself in Dreadwolf taking down Solas leading to the prologue scene for veilguard where the Elf God's escape. This event just seems so tied to the blight, the calling, the veil, red lyrium. Like a world ending event of this level just feels like it's calling for that moment we get to create and see all 4 heroes for one big sendoff before they reboot the series like it seems is going to happen to a degree. Not saying it has to be these exact scenarios but Dragon Age is about multiple overlapping stories and I would like for the series to consider that in the future.

Ha, I remember that forum and the outrage of Dragon Age 2. Everyone was spamming "Don't Touch My Warden" to Gaider. I was like damn, I must be the only one in the world that loved the game.