It was between her and Alistair. Easiest choice I had to make.
It was a fitting end for Hawke. Now she could be with the rest of her kin.
How are they still whining about this. DA has been part of the 'SJW agenda' from the start.
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Dragon Age 4 Speculation Thread
- Thread starter BAD
- Start date
It was a fitting end for Hawke. Now she could be with the rest of her kin.
More like Trespasser is a good start. It was way more focused and well developed than the base game. Having it all take part in limited and linear environments helped a lot.
DAO being darker I think is a misnomer outside the visual presentation maybe, which was super generic ass fantasy and I was happy to see it go. All the games have had a lot of dark and gruesome stuff occur in them. DA2 probably more than any. The major thing is that showing horrible stuff isn't brave or enlightening at all. We all know slavery is bad, rape is bad, etc etc and including graphic examples of that stuff in most cases winds up diminishing the severity of such events as all too often they end up being glorified props rather than actual serious and thoughtful examinations of the impact and most importantly combating of those issues.
Going into Tevinter would be great, but actually tackling the issue of slavery is a really really big topic and one they seriously can't just use as background and the general premise of a few quests in order to help shape the image of Tevinter. It's something that requires a really deft hand and lots of thoughtful consideration. I would love for them to do it, but it's a difficult topic for even the most talented of people.
DAO being darker I think is a misnomer outside the visual presentation maybe, which was super generic ass fantasy and I was happy to see it go. All the games have had a lot of dark and gruesome stuff occur in them. DA2 probably more than any. The major thing is that showing horrible stuff isn't brave or enlightening at all. We all know slavery is bad, rape is bad, etc etc and including graphic examples of that stuff in most cases winds up diminishing the severity of such events as all too often they end up being glorified props rather than actual serious and thoughtful examinations of the impact and most importantly combating of those issues.
Going into Tevinter would be great, but actually tackling the issue of slavery is a really really big topic and one they seriously can't just use as background and the general premise of a few quests in order to help shape the image of Tevinter. It's something that requires a really deft hand and lots of thoughtful consideration. I would love for them to do it, but it's a difficult topic for even the most talented of people.
I have no idea. This has been obvious with BioWare from the start and increasingly so with every game of theirs. I'm especially amused by the fact that lots of people will decry it as the ever increasing encroachment of American politics and issues with race/sexuality/gender when they're a Canadian studio. Not to mention trying to limit such issues as being American only.
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That's a really cynical restructuring of his words considering literally every Dragon Age has an ending where the close relationships you form bail you out of a hopeless situation.
There's an entire outrage and propaganda industry on YT that's popped up after the last DA game was a thing
So here's a less pleasant bit of speculation: what do we suppose the live service elements are going to be like? We know courtesy of jschreier that DA4 had a structural reboot in order to accommodate the live service model in some way. Casey Hudson (I think?) got on the twitter mic shortly thereafter claiming that all "live service" means is a continual flow of post-release content, or something to that effect. (Do not quote me directly on this one; I'm going off of memory here.)
While I've seen the overall Dragon Age fanbase take Hudson's remarks at face value -- seriously, I am scared to even attempt to bring this one up in certain online circles that shall not be named -- it makes zero sense to me whatsoever that the game would need a reboot so that it can offer a ton of DLC. That's the narrative I've seen passed around, is that the reboot claim is false and we're just going to be spoiled with bucketloads of DLC is all. I... trust all of us here concur that Jason is correct on this front, and something big changed.
So here's my guess. In a sense BioWare isn't lying and we'll be given quite a bit of DLC if the planned structure pans out. But what we'll discover is that plenty of plot threads will go unresolved in the release version of DA4, and it will have a short starter campaign which will be greatly expanded upon over the course of a year or more. In the vanilla version, a major threat will be brought down but other major threats will not be dealt with at all, being saved for ongoing material. In between story updates, we'll also see event months with crossover themes for not just BioWare IPs but other EA properties. Last but not least, cosmetic options at launch will be a far cry from what Inquisition offered, enabling a wider sphere of cosmetic microtransactions.
Just a hunch. I'd love to be wrong about this plot approach. But if Mike Laidlaw left the company when he did because of anything pertaining to the structural reboot, I could totally see it being this drastic. And it had to be drastic to some extent anyway, right? Why else would the team need to go back to square one from a development (but probably not narrative) standpoint?
It should go without saying that this is all pure supposition on my part. Furthermore, it's 4:13 in the morning over here and I'm texting this all up on my mobile while half-asleep, so it's possible I've mistakenly attributed paraphrased quotes to Casey Hudson. Regardless, it is my understanding that BioWare steeply downplayed fan concerns over Dragon Age 4 shooting for live service elements, and it would be rad if we really are just mainly looking at bonus optional story stuff (and live event fare, I guess). I'm just not sure that would be nearly enough reason to toss out plenty of work.
While I've seen the overall Dragon Age fanbase take Hudson's remarks at face value -- seriously, I am scared to even attempt to bring this one up in certain online circles that shall not be named -- it makes zero sense to me whatsoever that the game would need a reboot so that it can offer a ton of DLC. That's the narrative I've seen passed around, is that the reboot claim is false and we're just going to be spoiled with bucketloads of DLC is all. I... trust all of us here concur that Jason is correct on this front, and something big changed.
So here's my guess. In a sense BioWare isn't lying and we'll be given quite a bit of DLC if the planned structure pans out. But what we'll discover is that plenty of plot threads will go unresolved in the release version of DA4, and it will have a short starter campaign which will be greatly expanded upon over the course of a year or more. In the vanilla version, a major threat will be brought down but other major threats will not be dealt with at all, being saved for ongoing material. In between story updates, we'll also see event months with crossover themes for not just BioWare IPs but other EA properties. Last but not least, cosmetic options at launch will be a far cry from what Inquisition offered, enabling a wider sphere of cosmetic microtransactions.
Just a hunch. I'd love to be wrong about this plot approach. But if Mike Laidlaw left the company when he did because of anything pertaining to the structural reboot, I could totally see it being this drastic. And it had to be drastic to some extent anyway, right? Why else would the team need to go back to square one from a development (but probably not narrative) standpoint?
It should go without saying that this is all pure supposition on my part. Furthermore, it's 4:13 in the morning over here and I'm texting this all up on my mobile while half-asleep, so it's possible I've mistakenly attributed paraphrased quotes to Casey Hudson. Regardless, it is my understanding that BioWare steeply downplayed fan concerns over Dragon Age 4 shooting for live service elements, and it would be rad if we really are just mainly looking at bonus optional story stuff (and live event fare, I guess). I'm just not sure that would be nearly enough reason to toss out plenty of work.
I think I'd be quite happy not to see my Warden again - it felt like DA:O had a satisfying beginning/middle/end for her journey. I'd sacrificed my Warden in my first playthrough of DA:O, and pissed off a previously romanced Alistair along the way - my first playthrough was super depressing, lol. I did another playthrough where I kept her alive, and Alistair married Anora, but man, that first playthrough was a really memorable gut-punch. Considering the lyrium idol connection for DA4, I'd love to see Hawke again, or more of the DA2 crew.
I loved how the wrote Loghain in DA:I, it'd be great to revisit his character again. I've got a save with Loghain alive, and one with my Hawke alive. I'll have to choose what's canon at some point, ow.
I loved how the wrote Loghain in DA:I, it'd be great to revisit his character again. I've got a save with Loghain alive, and one with my Hawke alive. I'll have to choose what's canon at some point, ow.
Pretty sure the advertising pamphlet for it says "bloodmage citadel of the world".
Yeah.
I honestly feel like something at least remotely akin to this will happen. It just makes zero sense to me that they would throw out so much work on the game for "lots of DLC!" in a conventional sense.
Look, I like DA2 more than most people (I think) and something is slightly worrying me.
There's this "idol" in the teaser. People are making writeups and analyses about it and it hadn't really sprung to mind, besides how it looks like Red Lyrium, to me before that this might be another "idol" similar to the one in DA2, heck maybe even the same one.
Please, please, please, please please don't be one such idol. It was by far the weakest plot development tool in DA2 and in some ways it was actually the reason why I think the game never truly lived up to its own potential as a more personal-scale story. The idol is an object that literally changes the motivations of people around it for no other reason than the tired and lazy BioWare writing trope which they have done to death since Mass Effect now, which is mind control. It's the weakest form of development and they never present it right. It's always contrived. The whole game of DA2 led up to this Meredith character having such a vendetta against mages and really kept you guessing at what her game really was. Then it turned out the red lyrium idol Varric found was sold to her and made her "crazy". I really was interested in Solas and his self-justified pursuit of salvaging the fade and its spirits of elven lore but if they're gonna shoehorn in this idol the same way that they just blatantly placed eluvian mirrors EVERYWHERE in Trespasser I'm just left feeling like the premise is hamfisted bullshit.
So, I really hope this is not another Red Lyrium "mind control" idol and I really hope it's not THE idol somehow.
There's this "idol" in the teaser. People are making writeups and analyses about it and it hadn't really sprung to mind, besides how it looks like Red Lyrium, to me before that this might be another "idol" similar to the one in DA2, heck maybe even the same one.
Please, please, please, please please don't be one such idol. It was by far the weakest plot development tool in DA2 and in some ways it was actually the reason why I think the game never truly lived up to its own potential as a more personal-scale story. The idol is an object that literally changes the motivations of people around it for no other reason than the tired and lazy BioWare writing trope which they have done to death since Mass Effect now, which is mind control. It's the weakest form of development and they never present it right. It's always contrived. The whole game of DA2 led up to this Meredith character having such a vendetta against mages and really kept you guessing at what her game really was. Then it turned out the red lyrium idol Varric found was sold to her and made her "crazy". I really was interested in Solas and his self-justified pursuit of salvaging the fade and its spirits of elven lore but if they're gonna shoehorn in this idol the same way that they just blatantly placed eluvian mirrors EVERYWHERE in Trespasser I'm just left feeling like the premise is hamfisted bullshit.
So, I really hope this is not another Red Lyrium "mind control" idol and I really hope it's not THE idol somehow.
I would have done it myself but her friendship with Blackwall changed my mind. I think you can warm up to her if you do all her quests and get a high approval from her. She and Dorian ended up having the best epilogue slides for my Tresspasser playthrough.
It rubbed me the wrong way when she killed the noble i was trying to parlay for more favors
Plus i was role-playing as a extra militant elf and she did not care a bit
Dragon Age 2 is not a self-contained story, especially since what happened in it became a very major focus in Inquisition (Mage-Templar war), and the villain of Inquisition was first introduced in 2.
I mean, you don't have to guess for Dragon Age for how the Elves were transformed from super powerful beings to basically what amounts to a slave race currently. It's explained quite thoroughly.
1. It is a self-contained story. You only need to be watch the ending of DA2 to understand the beginning of Inquisition.
2. That villain is introduced in a oft-forgotten DA2 DLC and appears for like a second. They also completely re-introduce themselves in DA:I complete with a different voice actor and demeanor.
I disagree with that. I think DA2 provided a huge context as to how the Mage-Templar war broke out and how it affected Thedas in such a huge scale (particularly in Inquisition), something that DA:O didn't really dwell in much.
Well it's just my opinion.
I restarted playing the DA series again because of this announcement. Not sure if Ill playthrough 2 again or not. As for the next game I hope Blood Mage makes a comeback.
I mean, DA:O introduced that whole Mage-Templar conflict. The whole plotline in the Circle of Magi is about that. And unfortunately, DA:I doesn't focus too much on the conflict either. It's the inciting incident to kick-off the story, but the conflict is essentially "resolved" after the first act as more pressing matters come into focus.
I'm not a DA2 detractor, I will actually defend the game. But, it is skippable with regards to the main plot of the series. It's a side adventure that provides more context to the world, but isn't a requirement.
Tevinter seems virtually guaranteed based on the not-so-subtle hint at the end of Trespasser and just practically, they need to set it somewhere where your decisions about the Chantry in inquisition won't have a huge impact, so that they don't have to do wildly different stories based on where you left the Mage–Templar stuff.
And if we're Tevinter, I'd like to have it go heavy on the Tevinter–Qunari stuff as the sort of B-plot to Solas as big bad. Tevinter is set as a pretty straightforward Byzantine Empire parallel, with the Qunari as the Turks, so getting a fall of Tevinter storyline while we're there would be cool. Plus the Qunari are the most unique part of that universe.
All I want is more fleshed out romance stories, proper character development, and able to have joke options.
Dragon Age 2 might technically be skippable if the person researches X, Y, and Z, but that would be doing themselves a terrible disservice and throwing them in with characters whose backstories and contexts they're not as aware of — Hawke, Varric, Cassandra, etc.
It'd also hamstring not only their understanding of the Mage-Templar conflict's escalation, but the Qunari and Flemeth as well.
DA2 is not a bad game, especially for the development time it was allowed by EA. I wouldn't recommend anyone skip it if they loved Origins. It has its cons, but it has major pros as well that are too rarely mentioned — chiefly its deeper tactical customization and more original narrative and framing than Origins.
It'd also hamstring not only their understanding of the Mage-Templar conflict's escalation, but the Qunari and Flemeth as well.
DA2 is not a bad game, especially for the development time it was allowed by EA. I wouldn't recommend anyone skip it if they loved Origins. It has its cons, but it has major pros as well that are too rarely mentioned — chiefly its deeper tactical customization and more original narrative and framing than Origins.
I assume you meant to swap those?
Realistically speaking, it's going to be a voiced protagonist, that's just the way of the world now. But personally I'd welcome a return to more text heavy un-voiced responses.
yeah i want my character to always be a sarcastic douche with a heart of gold where it matters.
We'll play as, or will be in a party with, Morrigan's son?
After a time skip, which could help solas become a tangible threat since his initial phases of his plan over the years would have started.
The son would make a strong lynchpin across the series anyway.
P.s. - yes I have connections to the franchise, but no this is all just fan speculation
After a time skip, which could help solas become a tangible threat since his initial phases of his plan over the years would have started.
The son would make a strong lynchpin across the series anyway.
P.s. - yes I have connections to the franchise, but no this is all just fan speculation
Wait, what? Kieran isn't considered canon? That seems like an odd choice, especially given Bioware's love of romance options.
Laidlaw explained it one time as simplifying it for new players. Those are the ones who will be using the default canon so including characters that were dependent on choices in previous games will most likely just be confusing for them. On the flip side, they can then write those situations that are choice dependent on the assumption that the player seeing them actually knows who they are and they don't need to explain it to them.
Hope that makes sense, Laidlaw explained it much better as I recall. But I think they have tried to avoid having an actual canon, more like a consistent default world state for those who don't import.
EDIT: More specifically, I believe the default canon Warden is a female elf who died slaying the archdemon and the default canon Hawke is a male mage who sided with the mages.
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I'm playing DA2 now and I don't know if it's the voice or the dialogue, but Hawke suck :(
The good guy, sarcastic and rude dialogue option sounds the same lol.
I still haven't played the DLC for DAI. I sometimes want to play it, but then I don't even have the game installed anymore, and for some reason my save on the keeper is weird.
Inquisition's DLC is all superb, especially Trespasser and The Descent. It completely elevates the entire game.
Personally speaking, the first time I went through Inquisition, there was no DLC, and I considered it a 7.5-8.0 kind of game. I went through it again a few years back, and Inquisition + DLC is a 9.5-10.0 kind of game. It makes THAT big a difference.
Well its not like we got the real ending to DAI in the main game either haha.
I too would be somewhat surprised if they doubled down on single player DLC with all the hub bub about story DLCs not being very profitable. I think predicting a bare bones short campaign and an extended dev cycle to finish the game is a depressingly realistic bet. With sales dictating how much content we actually end up getting. Or maybe they have a plan for a decent multiplayer mode.
Was talking in more general terms, how that sort of thing ends up appealing to me.
It has been years since I went back; did we ever get any resurgence to the motif from Origins: Awakening where certain Darkspawn were gifted conciseness? wasn't there even one who in the epilogue, if you spare them and let them leave Amaranthine, they become a weird protector to the farmlands killing bandits, though accidentally poisoning some crops whenever they come near.
Beyond just seeing more of the Darkspawn, I'd find it fantastic if there was a subset that had almost entirely resisted or cut off the Old Gods' Calling, not necessarily altruistic, but not just stock standard fodder to kill either.
Beyond just seeing more of the Darkspawn, I'd find it fantastic if there was a subset that had almost entirely resisted or cut off the Old Gods' Calling, not necessarily altruistic, but not just stock standard fodder to kill either.
Not really, the most they took from that is the Architect being another one of the mages that ruined the world like Corypheus. I suspect they didn't want another Geth situation with them or they just weren't really relevant to what was going on.
Has anyone read any of the DA comics published by Dark Horse? I just finished the latest mini-series, and it's about a Tevinter city that falls to Quanari armies. Really sad story but it helped flesh out the world more and even feels like it's leading into DA4.
I've fallen behind on the comics since Inquisition. What was that one called? Sounds interesting.
Dragon Age: Deception. It loosely ties into last year''s DA comic, Dragon Age: Knight Errant. But only in that two main characters from that mini series are side characters in this one.
Here's more about the comic.
https://www.resetera.com/threads/dragon-age-team-hiring-for-multiplayer-job-listing.92371/
Hiring for multiplayer again
Hiring for multiplayer again
Checked this wondering why it was updated lol. Honestly I could care less about a game's multiplayer. But I'm fine with them doing it if it sells more copies.
literally just now realizing there multiplayer in inquisition.
hah.
the mp thing doesnt inspire confidence in me. not gonna lie. but then again ive more or less accepted were never getting anything like origins again. This'll most likely be a full blown action game.
