Howdy Soteria!
soteria wrote...
Personally I would have probably reduced the Origins stories to three (one for each race) with maybe some minor differences for certain classes. However, what I would have done would have been to inject a unique side quest based on the characters class during Act Two (when you have the freedom to go anywhere on the map).
Fewer origins, more impact on the mid-game? That could have been interesting. The downside is we learn less about Ferelden, unless they find another (interesting) way to introduce us to those cultures. I mean, dwarf noble and commoner are pretty distinct. Smith, merchant, or warrior all seem to have somewhat similar standards of living, but it would be pretty hard to learn as much in one origin as we do in the two we have. Same for elves. I guess you'd have to go with the dalish origin and scrap city elf, but that was my personal favorite, and dalish was my least favorite.
I like the way origins were implemented, but I agree that they could have felt more unique in the mid-game. Mostly you really notice the differences early and late in the game, depending on what order you do the quests in.
As regards the Dwarf 'thing' the character could be a noble who has been raised a commoner due to some grievance against the house. Or be a servant in a Noble House that, through some great service (saving Harrowmonts life for instance) is given a chance to become a noble. So there could be ways around the storytelling whereby the same information and depth is still relayed to the player.
Dragon Age has some really interesting NPCs that I'd really love to have seen given a bigger bite at the cherry.
Jarvia has lots of potential for an epic villainess...heres how I'd have handled the character (in hindsight I fully admit).
1. Jarvia herself is a spy in the camp of one (or both?) of the contenders for the throne, where she disguises herself as an old washer woman. In the Dwarf Origin story you seemingly save her life, but in reality you disrupt her assassination attempt on Harrowmont.
2. The reveal of her true identity happens within the Carta Hideout. Here, you fight a series of running battles with her and the gang. With Jarvia purposefully leading the heroes through a gauntlet of tricks and traps.
3. The culmination of this series of fights is gatecrashed by an assault from Darkspawn. The players here have to ally with Jarvia, only together do they stand a chance. When the battle is over, Jarvia is nowhere to be seen.
4. Jarvia shows up again, this time with Branka. At the end of this battle she is seemingly knocked off the cliff into the lava by one of the golems.
5. Near the end of the game (in a level only playable by a Dwarf character) Jarvia returns (her face partially burnt), this time operating in Denerim, allied to the Antivan Crows. Her bargaining chip is a handful of golem control rods...and golems of course.
6. With the death of Jarvia, her final dying words (to the dwarf character) "I'm proud of you...my son*"
*Or daughter naturally.
Retour en haut
