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Post by cuthbertbeckett on Oct 8, 2020 18:57:43 GMT
TL;DR: I don't think we are getting a returning companion in DA4! No but we will very likely get Lace Harding instead. Yes i am aware that she isn´t a companion in DAI but she is the next best thing. She can´t die, won´t get a big title like Varric or Sten and also she isn´t a romance.
Plus i think we will have atleast one Inquisition member in the party. And is there any better candidate for all this than Harding? I can´t think about one.
Also unlike some Inquisition members like Charter there is no way that DAI players won´t meet her.
So yeah my money is on Harding plus Dorian in a major role but not as advisior.
I know that i already have posted this interview severall times already but its still valid.
PC Gamer: Fair enough. What is your criteria for determining which characters do come back? Actually, not simply from the dead, but I mean from game to game. Why would Varric make the cut and not somebody else?
Mark Darrah: That's a good question. Some of it's based on just what the writers are excited about writing. But also, we look for a certain amount of balance between the character. There's a bunch of things that we're trying to do for balance. You want a certain degree of balance between the classes. You want a certain amount of balance between the genders and then a certain amount of balance between the romance options.
If you've had a character in a previous game that was a romance option typically we won't bring them back because they carry a lot of extra baggage with them. You're not going to have a romance option come back and certainly not have them be a romance option again because there's a lot of baggage that comes with that.
The player might get angry as well. “But they're in love with my previous character forever and ever and ever. How dare you?” I think there's validity to that. You can start to cross off a few characters because of that. We often don't bring back characters, at least not as followers, if they were previously romance options. You might see them. Alistair comes back because we can do cameos and have them have an influence on the story.
But additionally, some characters, Varric's a very good character because one of Varric's primary motivations is he's the guy that's got your back. He's your friend. He's a very good character to have because it's good to have someone in your camp no matter what. That makes him a very attractive character. It makes him an interesting character to have because he offers a nice counterpoint to a lot of other kinds of characters.
The other thing that causes us to bring someone back is someone that we're just simply not done with. That the arc is incomplete. Isabella between Origins and Dragon Age 2 is a good example of that. We introduced her, but there's just a lot more to be done with that. That's actually usually how we choose. Often characters move. We don't reuse followers very often. Obviously, we are reusing Varric. We typically promote secondary characters between games.
PC Gamer: Right, so someone graduates from being a quest-giving NPC to being a companion.
Mark Darrah: Yes.
Then we have after Cole (Asunder novel) someone from other Dragon Age media. I don´t think this person is from the books but from the comics. My money is on Maevaris because she is well liked within the community and i think its time that Bioware will make their first transgender companion. This could be a passion project for many at Bioware because lets face it besides Crem who was a bit bland for my taste Bioware wasn´t made any good transgender character. And for last one Hainly Abrams from Andromeda Bioware have to apologized. /photo/1
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Post by kalreegar on Oct 9, 2020 9:56:03 GMT
I hope to see these characters again:
1) Dorian: as bridge companion, perfect
2) Fenris OR Merril (depending on the mages /templars choice in da2: they both can be dead but not in the same playthrough... I think): as protagonists of an important main-quest (like Alistair/Loghain/Stroud in DAI)
3) Solas: as main antagonist, oh yeah
4) Sten: a huge role, as potential enemy (with boss fight) or potential ally ("side with tevinter" vs "side with the Qun")
5) Tallis: a cameo would be nice
6) Varric + Hawke (eventually): a cameo, I'd like a "back to Kirkwall" subquest.
7) Isabela: as advisor / companion or huge role + quest related (like Morrigan in inquisition)
8) Lace Harding: going on as a scout leader may be fine, why not
9) Maevaris Tilani : she would be perfect as advisor
10) Bianca Davri: companion
11) The Warden + his/her romance: a cameo would be nice, if alive. A decade has passed since we last saw him...
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Post by gervaise21 on Oct 9, 2020 12:29:10 GMT
1) Extremely likely 2) Fenris is definitely a possibility given the comic series but only as a sub-quest with a substitute if he didn't survive DA2. (Ditto Merrill) 3) Obviously 4) I think we're less likely to fight him than have to persuade him to help us. Killing a second Arishok would be a bit unlikely. 5) Please no. The only reason I would accept her returning is if she has ditched the Qun. I'd rather see Gatt as a returning Ben'Hassrath. 6) Can't see this personally. Leave them in Kirkwall. More likely to get a message from them. 7) Why? I suppose they could bring her back so we can use her ship as a mobile base but otherwise? Also how did the ship get round into the Nocen Sea once the war started? It would be easy enough for the Qun to blockade either the Northern Passage or the Ventosus Straits. 8) Yes, definitely a possibility seeing she is popular with some of the writers as well as has her own fanbase. 9) Could be a contact in the Magisterium or Advisor. Still that would be duplicating Dorian. I think we will meet her at some point regardless. 10) Again, why? Her main connection is through Varric. She certainly couldn't be a romanceable companion. Leave the female dwarf spot to someone who can. 11) They have already said in the past this is not going to happen. It's why they sent them off on a wild goose chase for a cure instead of having them as the Warden contact in DAI (which would have made far more sense than Stroud or one of the other options). That would have made for a more difficult choice then as well. Probably why they decided against it. I am hoping they at least tell us why they thought a cure was to be found in the far west and how much success they had with it.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 13:53:37 GMT
I want as few cameos as possible and only when they make sense (Tevinter and Qunari characters we have already met). I'm happy for Dorian, Maevaris, Stenishok from previous games as they make sense.
Harding and a few other Inquisition characters make sense. I don't want every minor character from DAI show up as cameos. That would include all of the DAIMP characters.
I suppose Gatt could be interesting as the next doubting-Qunari focus. Though I would also like more kossith characters who are wavering in faith.
Possibly Shale but I think she was Gaider's baby and the other writers 1) don't want to write someone else's character if they're not vital to the story and setting, and 2) the writers might not have interest in using someone else's character when they can write their own. I doubt a subplot of turning golems back into dwarves would be a good use of resources when there's so much already to cover.
As others have mentioned, Feynriel could be interesting. But he might end up being disappointing like Connor, having too many world states to reconcile to have much content.
I don't see Tallis returning as she was very divisive in the fanbase. I hope after her and Diana Allers Bioware has stopped putting in clickbait cameos.
Please please please no more Hawke or Varric or other DA2 companions. Their stories are over, the only possibilities of an appearance will be something bad happening to them. Let them be. I believe Nunzio mentioned when writing the Fenris comics that he was not in communication with Bioware about Fenris' appearance in DA4 at all, nor were any of his characters a guaranteed presence. Personally I would be happy of all of the comics were fun side stories that don't have any direct impact on the games. If we need secondary material characters I would imagine they will all come from Tevinter Nights.
And NO WARDEN. Why won't people let this dead horse rest? Bioware has said many times the Warden is not coming back. It would be very controversial and probably please no one, since the Warden in DA4 won't be 'our' Warden. The cure for the taint thingie was an excuse not to have them show up, not a delaying tactic until their appearance in Tevinter.
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Post by kalreegar on Oct 9, 2020 16:10:38 GMT
7) Why? I suppose they could bring her back so we can use her ship as a mobile base but otherwise? Also how did the ship get round into the Nocen Sea once the war started? It would be easy enough for the Qun to blockade either the Northern Passage or the Ventosus Straits. Because she is one of the best character ever, smart, funny, sexy, cool, badass, she knows a lot about a lot of things, she has connection with the qunari, the slave trade to tevinter, the antivian crows, as an adventurer she can be anywhere at any time without explanation needed... and a pirate ship like "hub" (skyhold-camp) would be very nice
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Post by kalreegar on Oct 9, 2020 16:14:41 GMT
And NO WARDEN. Why won't people let this dead horse rest? Bioware has said many times the Warden is not coming back. It would be very controversial and probably please no one, since the Warden in DA4 won't be 'our' Warden. The cure for the taint thingie was an excuse not to have them show up, not a delaying tactic until their appearance in Tevinter. why not,l with a good character creator and the possibility to use him for let's say 30 minutes (choosing the line of dialogue). Like we were able to use any companion (and talk) during the fort drakon rescue mission.
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Post by Rascoth on Oct 9, 2020 16:47:40 GMT
Well, all my Wardens are dead, so who would I get in return?
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Post by kalreegar on Oct 9, 2020 16:51:03 GMT
Well, all my Wardens are dead, so who would I get in return? But your Orlesian Warden Commander is surely alive and well!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 19:44:09 GMT
And NO WARDEN. Why won't people let this dead horse rest? Bioware has said many times the Warden is not coming back. It would be very controversial and probably please no one, since the Warden in DA4 won't be 'our' Warden. The cure for the taint thingie was an excuse not to have them show up, not a delaying tactic until their appearance in Tevinter. why not,l with a good character creator and the possibility to use him for let's say 30 minutes (choosing the line of dialogue). Like we were able to use any companion (and talk) during the fort drakon rescue mission. Honestly it feels like way too much work for so little gain. Hawke's appearance in DAI was fairly controversial, and that's with human only, already voiced, three tones PC. Having six origins, three races, no preset voice seems like a recipe to piss of a lot of people if the Warden's appearance doesn't fit everyone's view of their specific PC.
Plus what narrative reason would the Warden be in Tevinter?
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Post by NotN7 on Oct 9, 2020 20:32:12 GMT
why not,l with a good character creator and the possibility to use him for let's say 30 minutes (choosing the line of dialogue). Like we were able to use any companion (and talk) during the fort drakon rescue mission. Honestly it feels like way too much work for so little gain. Hawke's appearance in DAI was fairly controversial, and that's with human only, already voiced, three tones PC. Having six origins, three races, no preset voice seems like a recipe to piss of a lot of people if the Warden's appearance doesn't fit everyone's view of their specific PC.
Plus what narrative reason would the Warden be in Tevinter?
I concur seems to me it was easy to camo Hawke his/her appearance really did not change other than scars etc. but on the other hand how would they import the Warden when they were all different? hence I believe its why they said the warden will not return too much trouble for what it would be worth.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2020 22:02:08 GMT
Also regarding former PCs, at some point I like to allow my PCs to rest and have their own lives. I don't want them to be involved in every major global conflict until they die (killed by the most recent PC). Dragon Age is great because it's about the setting rather than one protagonist. I love Mass Effect trilogy but I enjoy Dragon Age's focus on the lore.
I don't feel a strong need to see my former PCs make an appearance or have a codex entry on their movements. I like their stories wrapped up and done. Leave the current affairs to new PCs.
Hawke's story feels fairly wrapped up by now, granted they could be in the Fade or escaping Weisshaupt. The Warden's story feels done, as we shouldn't expect a cure for the taint in their lifetime to allow for a happy ending. I hope the inquisitor's story will be ended once we stop Solas.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 2:12:43 GMT
I specifically left Hawke in the Fade because I don't want him to keep showing up. Dragon Age is about Thedas, not a particular protagonist. I'm ready to move on from the Warden, Hawke, & the Inquisitor. I don't want to play as them again. I don't want them showing up as NPCs. At most, I'll take a codex update with some vague information.
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Post by gervaise21 on Oct 10, 2020 8:57:07 GMT
Hawke's story feels fairly wrapped up by now, granted they could be in the Fade or escaping Weisshaupt. The Warden's story feels done, as we shouldn't expect a cure for the taint in their lifetime to allow for a happy ending. I hope the inquisitor's story will be ended once we stop Solas. I was happy how they left the Warden at the end of Awakening. I just assumed that when they finally disappeared they had simply quietly gone on their Calling. It was sad but expected. However, many players kept wanting them to return so the writers came up with the searching for a cure explanation for their absence. After all you have to admit, if something major was going on with the Wardens in the south, then as Warden Commander of Ferelden they ought to have been involved. Mind you, why was the Orlesian Commander of Vigil's Keep not Hawke's contact? In fact everything established in Awakening regarding the status of the Wardens in Ferelden was quietly forgotten in DAI. They even had a codex explaining Clarel's involvement and having to ask permission to enter the country. Odd considering we already had a Warden base authorised by the monarch at Vigil's Keep. I could never understand why they didn't simply have Clarel as the latest replacement for our Warden (whether they survived or not), which would then have explained why the entire southern Wardens seemed to be in turmoil. Still, as they chose to introduce this rather vague reason for the absence of our Warden, I do at least want a codex explaining why they went west in the first place and how successful it was. Hawke didn't make any sense to me. According to DA2 the event they should have been invested in was concerning the resolution of the mage/Templar conflict, not Corypheus. So they set him free but they didn't know this was the consequence of their action. They thought they had killed him. So why is Hawke suddenly mixed up in all the Warden business? Why do they feel responsible for Corypheus? Why, when he revealed himself, didn't they immediately head for Weisshauppt to have it out with them rather than try and fix things in the south? I agree, though. Now they finally have Hawke safely back in Kirkwall, they should leave them there. Although I must admit I'd like to know what they were doing for the two years between the end of DAI and Trespasser. Presumably we may still get a message from them about the situation in Weisshauppt because it seems likely we are going there next game. So far as the Inquisitor is concerned, I would have been happy if they had left them on the balcony at the end of DAI and never had the meeting with Solas at all. If Trespasser had simply dealt with the Qunari plot as a last hurrah before the decision about the organisation, I'd have been okay with that. That would have neatly tied off their story. Just have the anchor fizzle and die after so long to explain why we no longer have the magic gizmo. The problem is they did have the meeting with Solas and that is what has divided us over the continuance of the the DAI PC into the next game. Once the Solas threat has been dealt with, though, then the ex-Inquisitor should go into retirement.
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Post by Frost on Oct 10, 2020 14:27:58 GMT
The Inquisitor returning in DA4 is a must after Trespasser. Tevinter Nights also has the Inquisition actively working to stop Solas. It would make no sense for the Inquisitor not to be directly involved.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 17:25:53 GMT
The Inquisitor returning in DA4 is a must after Trespasser. Tevinter Nights also has the Inquisition actively working to stop Solas. It would make no sense for the Inquisitor not to be directly involved. Not really. The Inquisition is a must. The Inquisitor can be removed pretty easily. You could equally have said: ‘After Awakening, it’s a must that the Warden returns if there is a Warden storyline in Ferelden’. But in practice there are narrative strategies for shifting away from the Inquisitor and towards the Inquisition (represented by a new or returning NPC) who allies with the new PC. Is it a little clunky? Yep. But it’s doable.
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Post by gervaise21 on Oct 10, 2020 17:50:13 GMT
But in practice there are narrative strategies for shifting away from the Inquisitor and towards the Inquisition (represented by a new or returning NPC) who allies with the new PC. Which is where Dorian comes in because he always survives no matter what, he was part of the Inner Circle and he is even the official ambassador to the south on behalf of the Imperium when he returns for the Exalted Council. With him becoming more political after leaving the Inquisition, he is the most obvious choice as their contact there. In Tevinter Nights and the comics he is shown as a quest setter who employs other people to carry out jobs for him or on behalf of the Inquisition, so I'm pretty sure he will continue to do this in DA4.
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Post by Frost on Oct 10, 2020 18:59:02 GMT
The Inquisitor returning in DA4 is a must after Trespasser. Tevinter Nights also has the Inquisition actively working to stop Solas. It would make no sense for the Inquisitor not to be directly involved. Not really. The Inquisition is a must. The Inquisitor can be removed pretty easily. You could equally have said: ‘After Awakening, it’s a must that the Warden returns if there is a Warden storyline in Ferelden’. But in practice there are narrative strategies for shifting away from the Inquisitor and towards the Inquisition (represented by a new or returning NPC) who allies with the new PC. Is it a little clunky? Yep. But it’s doable. I picked the US ending for Origins, so that wasn't an issue for me with the Warden. For DA4 it is absolutely an issue for me not having the Inquisitor involved. Solas was the Inquisitor's companion, and he told her he was going to destroy her world. What else would the Inquisitor be doing but trying to stop him/save him/find a better plan? Would she really just put that all on Lace Harding (or whoever would represent the Inquisition)?
They could kill off the Inquisitor at the start of DA4, but it would be incredibly cheap. I would hate for the Inquisitor to be unceremoniously killed off just so they could have a random new pc.
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Post by gervaise21 on Oct 10, 2020 19:18:07 GMT
They could kill off the Inquisitor at the start of DA4, but it would be incredibly cheap. I would hate for the Inquisitor to be unceremoniously killed off just so they could have a random new pc.
If they were going to do that it would have made more sense to do it in Trespasser. Either that, or no meeting with Solas and someone else chops off their hand to save them. So with nothing to motivate them differently it would make sense to go into honourable retirement. As you say, once they have that meeting with Solas there is no way they are not going to get actively involved. I assume they will be doing it from more of a distance though in view of what the writers said.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 19:38:56 GMT
They could kill off the Inquisitor at the start of DA4, but it would be incredibly cheap. I would hate for the Inquisitor to be unceremoniously killed off just so they could have a random new pc.
If they were going to do that it would have made more sense to do it in Trespasser. Either that, or no meeting with Solas and someone else chops off their hand to save them. So with nothing to motivate them differently it would make sense to go into honourable retirement. As you say, once they have that meeting with Solas there is no way they are not going to get actively involved. I assume they will be doing it from more of a distance though in view of what the writers said. Exactly. People are treating "The Inquisitor is heavily connected to Solas' story" with "The Inquisitor must be the PC when wrapping up Solas' story". Trespasser laid it out pretty clearly, I think. Whether it's still a formal organization or not, the remaining leaders of the Inquisition are dedicated to stopping Solas. But they know that he's aware of their organization and the main people in it. So they are going to get people who he isn't familiar with to be their agents. The Inquisitor literally says, "Then we find people he doesn't know". And then they stab a dagger into Tevinter on the map. To me, it's pretty clear: The Inquisition is going to be behind the efforts of the PC in DA4 which takes place in Tevinter. I've been operating under this assumption since 2015. I'm frankly surprised that people are surprised that the Inquisitor isn't going to be the PC. Other than the Inquisitor turning to the camera and saying to the player "But you'll be controlling a different character", I don't know how much more obvious it could have been. I've also always assumed that Harding would be playing a major role (either as a companion or as our Inquisition contact/advisor) in DA4 because she's in that final scene. Not Cullen. Not Josephine. Harding. Why would our forward scout be in that room unless she's going to be part of the plot?
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Post by Frost on Oct 10, 2020 20:06:33 GMT
If they were going to do that it would have made more sense to do it in Trespasser. Either that, or no meeting with Solas and someone else chops off their hand to save them. So with nothing to motivate them differently it would make sense to go into honourable retirement. As you say, once they have that meeting with Solas there is no way they are not going to get actively involved. I assume they will be doing it from more of a distance though in view of what the writers said. Exactly. People are treating "The Inquisitor is heavily connected to Solas' story" with "The Inquisitor must be the PC when wrapping up Solas' story". Trespasser laid it out pretty clearly, I think. Whether it's still a formal organization or not, the remaining leaders of the Inquisition are dedicated to stopping Solas. But they know that he's aware of their organization and the main people in it. So they are going to get people who he isn't familiar with to be their agents. The Inquisitor literally says, "Then we find people he doesn't know". And then they stab a dagger into Tevinter on the map. To me, it's pretty clear: The Inquisition is going to be behind the efforts of the PC in DA4 which takes place in Tevinter. I've been operating under this assumption since 2015. I'm frankly surprised that people are surprised that the Inquisitor isn't going to be the PC. Other than the Inquisitor turning to the camera and saying to the player "But you'll be controlling a different character", I don't know how much more obvious it could have been. I've also always assumed that Harding would be playing a major role (either as a companion or as our Inquisition contact/advisor) in DA4 because she's in that final scene. Not Cullen. Not Josephine. Harding. Why would our forward scout be in that room unless she's going to be part of the plot? Harding seems likely. However, Solas knows Harding, so if it is her, it removes the only flimsy reason given for not having the Inquisitor as pc.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2020 20:20:05 GMT
There’s a big difference between the Inquisitor and Harding.
One is the leader of arguably the most influential political (and possibly religious) organization in Southern Thedas. They are Solas’ traveling companion, who he helped nurse back to health after the conclave. They can possibly be his lover. They are known throughout Southern Thedas by description alone.
The other is a forward scout for the inquisition. She’s met Solas a handful of times. She’s never shown interacting with Solas once in the entire game. He definitely knows who she is and would likely ID her if he came across her. But she’s not well known. There’s no reason why his agents would know who she is. And she has no strong connection to him.
They aren’t comparable in this context. Of all of the people who have any authority or power in the Inquisition she makes the most sense to be the one sent to oversee things. It fits into her role. There's also a huge difference between a companion and a PC. Because Harding might be known by Solas, that means that the Inquisitor must be the PC? That's hardly sound logic. It's like saying that the Inquisitor and Sera are equally recognizable across Thedas. The PC could be unknown to Solas while traveling with (or being advised by) someone who Solas knows.
Now, if we are talking about being completely realistic, they probably wouldn’t send anyone who Solas could possibly connect to the Inquisition. But from a game viewpoint, they are going to want someone recognizable that players will go ‘Oh yeah, that person!’ Not a completely new character.
But the bottom line is that the writers aren’t interested in continuing the Inquisitors story as the PC. People can accept that and enjoy the game for what it is. Or they can get so focused on not having the Inquisitor back that they can’t enjoy the game. I’m choosing the former.
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Post by Hanako Ikezawa on Oct 10, 2020 21:57:43 GMT
Exactly. People are treating "The Inquisitor is heavily connected to Solas' story" with "The Inquisitor must be the PC when wrapping up Solas' story". Trespasser laid it out pretty clearly, I think. Whether it's still a formal organization or not, the remaining leaders of the Inquisition are dedicated to stopping Solas. But they know that he's aware of their organization and the main people in it. So they are going to get people who he isn't familiar with to be their agents. The Inquisitor literally says, "Then we find people he doesn't know". And then they stab a dagger into Tevinter on the map. To me, it's pretty clear: The Inquisition is going to be behind the efforts of the PC in DA4 which takes place in Tevinter. I've been operating under this assumption since 2015. I'm frankly surprised that people are surprised that the Inquisitor isn't going to be the PC. Other than the Inquisitor turning to the camera and saying to the player "But you'll be controlling a different character", I don't know how much more obvious it could have been. I've also always assumed that Harding would be playing a major role (either as a companion or as our Inquisition contact/advisor) in DA4 because she's in that final scene. Not Cullen. Not Josephine. Harding. Why would our forward scout be in that room unless she's going to be part of the plot? Harding seems likely. However, Solas knows Harding, so if it is her, it removes the only flimsy reason given for not having the Inquisitor as pc. And unlike Inquisitor, Harding didn't constantly surprise Solas. That argument of "Solas knows the Inquisitor too well" is utter nonsense. First, there is the game itself on numerous occasionsshowing Solas being wrong about knowing them. Second, they act like Solas was the only one who could adopt a different persona or change mindsets. But no, instead they have them become a bum whose going to sit this out despite the costs they know better than anyone else. Or make them either a sad sack for Solas or a complete monster in trying to deal with him.
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Post by kalreegar on Oct 11, 2020 10:14:14 GMT
I've never understood why using the inquisitor (or hawke or warden, by the way) as PC can't be a choice. One of the possible origins. Next to those of the fresh new PCs. You want a new hero? Ok. You want an old hero? Ok. Too difficult to write? Not even too much. Just a few extra dialogues here and there, a few extra choices, different reactions by some npc etc. (as for cousland, everyone calls him my lord, "oh, but you are the son of the therin! I had no idea!; there is the possibility of marrying anora...etc. nothing so complicated). Also we will be in tevinter, perhaps in the midst of a war: to be the ex-inquisitor (an organization of which you are either no longer the formal leader or which no longer exists) what could possibly count? Little. Perhaps you are also in incognito.
Your story would unfolds exactly like all the others new Pc, with small differences and variables.
It's not easy, I'm amare of that. It is much easier to have a cast of totally new PC. But they could and should do it. The strength of bioware lies in the choices, in the characters, in the world that changes according to the playthroygh, in the uniqueness of each game... They should not be lazy on this aspect. It is as if naughty dog was lazy about the quality of the narrative, or from software about the precision and balance of the combat system.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2020 10:21:27 GMT
Hawke's story feels fairly wrapped up by now, granted they could be in the Fade or escaping Weisshaupt. The Warden's story feels done, as we shouldn't expect a cure for the taint in their lifetime to allow for a happy ending. I hope the inquisitor's story will be ended once we stop Solas. I was happy how they left the Warden at the end of Awakening. I just assumed that when they finally disappeared they had simply quietly gone on their Calling. It was sad but expected. However, many players kept wanting them to return so the writers came up with the searching for a cure explanation for their absence. After all you have to admit, if something major was going on with the Wardens in the south, then as Warden Commander of Ferelden they ought to have been involved. Mind you, why was the Orlesian Commander of Vigil's Keep not Hawke's contact? In fact everything established in Awakening regarding the status of the Wardens in Ferelden was quietly forgotten in DAI. They even had a codex explaining Clarel's involvement and having to ask permission to enter the country. Odd considering we already had a Warden base authorised by the monarch at Vigil's Keep. I could never understand why they didn't simply have Clarel as the latest replacement for our Warden (whether they survived or not), which would then have explained why the entire southern Wardens seemed to be in turmoil. Still, as they chose to introduce this rather vague reason for the absence of our Warden, I do at least want a codex explaining why they went west in the first place and how successful it was. Hawke didn't make any sense to me. According to DA2 the event they should have been invested in was concerning the resolution of the mage/Templar conflict, not Corypheus. So they set him free but they didn't know this was the consequence of their action. They thought they had killed him. So why is Hawke suddenly mixed up in all the Warden business? Why do they feel responsible for Corypheus? Why, when he revealed himself, didn't they immediately head for Weisshauppt to have it out with them rather than try and fix things in the south? I agree, though. Now they finally have Hawke safely back in Kirkwall, they should leave them there. Although I must admit I'd like to know what they were doing for the two years between the end of DAI and Trespasser. Presumably we may still get a message from them about the situation in Weisshauppt because it seems likely we are going there next game. So far as the Inquisitor is concerned, I would have been happy if they had left them on the balcony at the end of DAI and never had the meeting with Solas at all. If Trespasser had simply dealt with the Qunari plot as a last hurrah before the decision about the organisation, I'd have been okay with that. That would have neatly tied off their story. Just have the anchor fizzle and die after so long to explain why we no longer have the magic gizmo. The problem is they did have the meeting with Solas and that is what has divided us over the continuance of the the DAI PC into the next game. Once the Solas threat has been dealt with, though, then the ex-Inquisitor should go into retirement. That’s a good point, having the Warden so high in Grey Warden politics really restricts Grey Warden appearances in games without having some excuse for why the Warden isn’t involved. It’s a shame DAA really feels ignored, almost retconned. Intelligent dark spawn should be world changing but I wonder if they’re going to be written out of the setting now that ancient elves have become the focus. A coded entry on how some of Solas’s agents came across talking darkspawn during a mission and wiped them all out. Including a tall one which looked like a Tevinter magister fused into a darkspawn who was leading them. Trespasser did complicate the Inquisitor’s role in future games. It makes sense that Solas’s threat requires a shadow organisation to defeat it; he is working behind the scenes so nations’ governments shouldn’t be aware to act. He has nothing to do with Grey Wardens’ mission, nor against any other secular organisation. Possibly as a mage and elf he could be targeted by templars and the Chantry, but they have their hands full trying to retain control after DAI. I think Bioware thought Trespasser would continue to link the Inquisition to Solas’s efforts while removing the Inquisitor personally. How could The Inquisition oppose Solas if the Inquisitor wasn’t aware of his true identity? But there’s enough wiggle room in interpretation that the Inquisitor needs to be directly involved rather than leading from the back ranks.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2020 10:35:51 GMT
I've never understood why using the inquisitor (or hawke or warden, by the way) as PC can't be a choice. One of the possible origins. Next to those of the fresh new PCs. You want a new hero? Ok. You want an old hero? Ok. Too difficult to write? Not even too much. Just a few extra dialogues here and there, a few extra choices, different reactions by some npc etc. (as for cousland, everyone calls him my lord, "oh, but you are the son of the therin! I had no idea!; there is the possibility of marrying anora...etc. nothing so complicated). Also we will be in tevinter, perhaps in the midst of a war: to be the ex-inquisitor (an organization of which you are either no longer the formal leader or which no longer exists) what could possibly count? Little. Perhaps you are also in incognito. Your story would unfolds exactly like all the others new Pc, with small differences and variables. It's not easy, I'm amare of that. It is much easier to have a cast of totally new PC. But they could and should do it. The strength of bioware lies in the choices, in the characters, in the world that changes according to the playthroygh, in the uniqueness of each game... They should not be lazy on this aspect. It is as if naughty dog was lazy about the quality of the narrative, or from software about the precision and balance of the combat system. I think you’re underestimating the complexity and amount of work to have Inquisitor as a PC option along with multiple new PC backgrounds. True the Inquisitor may be less well known in Tevinter, but I doubt they would be anonymous. Assuming the Inquisitor has a prosthetic to replace their arm, that would be fairly notable and could easily identify them. Plus we would need to bring back the four voice actors who voiced the PC in DAI AND hire new voice actors for the other origins. The Inquisitor’s face scan would need to be imported, and if the engine technology has changed significantly since 2014 it would be a lot of work to try and match DAI’s face graphics. I think theres a drastic difference in dialogue reactions to a former PC compared with blank slate PCs. It’s not equivalent to DAO origins. All of the DAO PCs were unknown, untested and were all Grey Warden recruits. Let’s say the new PCs are Lords of Fortune; that reaction to their background is very different to the former Herald of Andrade who lead an organisation across Southern Thedas to stop one of the original darkspawn magisters. What will be the explanation for how the Inquisitor is back to level one? What about their love interests? Will they be allowed to romance a new love interest and if so, dialogue will need to be written on how they’ve broken up with previous LI, how they’re cheating on previous LI, etc. It it seems like a lot of work and use of resources for a conditional Pc background that not everyone will use that I would much rather to go to the main game.
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