17176 réponses à ce sujet

[Collider]

Sandtigress wrote...

Collider wrote...

Can anyone give me a summation of Merrill's personality? I can't remember the Dalish origin very well.

In the origin, she comes off (to me) as being serious and a bit stern (like I said before, kind of big sister playing at being mom) which fits with her role as Keeper's First.  She's also very curious about the ruins you're in, wishes that she had more time to study them, but understands the mission at hand.  She's also very polite to Duncan.

Now, granted all of this is in a time period where the PC nearly died, Tamlen might be dead, and the no. 1 priority is finding him, making sure you don't die, and dealing with darkspawn that suddenly turned up and are a danger to the clan.  So that's one very serious situation that you get to know her in.  And obviously no time to be "omg so cute" at all.

I'm just hoping for a good balance of those things, so that's it definitely Merrill when we see her, but in a rich way with lots of personality.  If that happens, then I'll (probably) be really happy!

Thank you! That's a good amount of information. She sounds interesting, and I like the "scholar" angle.

[drahelvete]

Mission was underaged. Liara was barely legal. I don't see what the problem is.

Also, she's an elf. She's probably quite a lot older than she looks.

[RamonIAm]

filaminstrel wrote...

Harid wrote...

You missed the first. . .I want to say 3 Isabela threads where she was called a ****, didn't you.

That's kind of what I was referring to to begin with.

TJPags wrote...

A thread titled "let's laugh at Merrill's goat ears and ridiculously large rack" would get locked in minutes.

I dunno, I remember an "Isabela Sucks" thread lasting quite a while.

Maybe the devs thought it was about what she did to the Warden... and Zevran... and Leliana, in DA:O.

I always liked her personality though, she is not the kind of girl I'd like to date for obvious reasons, but well... how can I judge a pirate (which have rather low morality by nature) living in a fantasy world (which has a rather low morality by nature) based on my morality (though I have a rather low morality by nature ;s) right?

[Andraste_Reborn]

Awwwwwwww, she's adorable! BioWare is certainly making it hard for me to choose my main party - I get the feeling my first Hawke will be swapping companions a lot. Can't wait to have Merrill shoot lightning at our enemies. (Or, y'know, cast whatever other terrifying offensive spells she knows.)

I developed an allergy to female elven love interests after BGII and Neverwinter Nights (not because I disliked them all but because they were the ONLY thing available for male characters) but looking at Merrill I think I could get over that for the sake of my future heterosexual male Hawke.

Modifié par Andrastee, 11 janvier 2011 - 04:46 .

[Maria Caliban]

prazision wrote...

So, a casual gamer who wandered in here to find out about the game is supposed to know that those two "squeeing" and talking like teenagers is normal for them?

Yes?

If you've never met someone before then the way you first see them acting is what you tend to assume is 'normal' for them. It's something called 'first impressions.'

If the first thing they see of Sheryl is her squeeing over something cute, they'll think 'Sheryl squees over cute stuff.' If they weren't used to interacting with grown women, they might decide this meant she was a teenager.

You don't think it might turn away someone who doesn't follow every developer religiously, in perhaps the same way that Evil Chris suggested excessive romance threads would be detrimental to sales?

It might! Then again, anything they encounter might turn someone off.

[Atakuma]

drahelvete wrote...

Mission was underaged. Liara was barely legal. I don't see what the problem is.
Also, she's an elf. She's probably quite a lot older than she looks.

Liara was over 100 years old. And was mission even a romance?

[HiroVoid]

Merllle wrote...

prazision wrote...

Maria Caliban wrote...

prazision wrote...

So, if Mr. Gaider were to make a post saying:
"Hay guys i was talking about fenris with laidlaw and i was like OMG HE CAN HAS TWO-HANDED SWORDS? that is kickin' rad dude, its gonna be so epic and full of win" without any indication that he was using such language "ironically", none of you would bat an eye?
Double standards, indeed.

You mean if after several years, David suddenly changed his conversational style? That in itself would suggest irony of some sort was at work.

If he always talked like that, I'm not sure why I would bat an eye.

So, a casual gamer who wandered in here to find out about the game is supposed to know that those two "squeeing" and talking like teenagers is normal for them? You don't think it might turn away someone who doesn't follow every developer religiously, in perhaps the same way that Evil Chris suggested excessive romance threads would be detrimental to sales?

I think there are two things that need to be clarified here.

First, the "talking like a teenager" issue. That type of dialogue is perfectly normal between women who share a bond for liking something in common. Females squee. It's something that they do. And they do it a lot. Some males seem to hate it, but curiously, when the squeeing is done towards them, they suddenly don't hate it anymore. In fact, they kind of like it.

Secondly, I must admit, fangirls can be scary. Very scary. I am a die-hard Alistair fangirl, and yet I run away from his threads. And it would be the same with Carth and Valen if their fanbases were still in their prime. That's why I understand Chris Priestly's hate about romance threads. Although, BioWare has a very strong female fanbase, which is something few companies can boast about. And those females are also part of the sales. While I don't believe that romances are the main reason why more females play BioWare games, I do know that they boost the experience in an extremely positive and touching way. If some males are too macho to take the optional romances - then don't. But breaking sex boundaries, introducing videogames that are both amazing and appealing to both sexes is something that BioWare has accomplished throughout the years. And excessive romance threads may be a sign of changing times, for which I am grateful.

I apologize to have deviated from the main discussion.

Well, I think my stomach got a bit sick with pages of squeeing over cuteness, but I'm a guy.  If a girl squees over a guy, it helps boost ego.  Anyway, if a group of people want to get together and go on for pages about how much they love a character and squee over her, I don't have a problem with it since people should post whatever they feel like and discuss what they want, and it ultimately doesn't matter what I think since they're the ones discussing it and not me.  Also, as I said earlier, I like how the Devs seem to post whatever's on their minds while making sure not to give what they can't away.

[Collider]

Andrastee wrote...

Awwwwwwww, she's adorable! BioWare is certainly making it hard for me to choose my main party - I get the feeling my first Hawke will be swapping companions a lot. Can't wait to have Merrill shooting lightning at our enemies. (Or, y'know, cast whatever other terrifying offensive spells she knows.)

I developed an allergy to female elven love interests after BGII and Neverwinter Nights (not because I disliked them all but because they were the ONLY thing available for male characters) but looking at Merrill I think I could get over that for the sake of my future heterosexual male Hawke.

I feel the same - going to be tough to choosing between Carver, Aveline, and Varric to kick out of my main party though

[Merllle]

ShadyKat wrote...

yukidama wrote...

ShadyKat wrote...

yukidama wrote...

ShadyKat wrote...

So we have a Cougar, warrior chick

A ****ty pirate lass

and an under age Elf chick.

Not gonna touch the rest of your comment but who's the cougar? Flemeth?

Aveline.
She looks to be much older than Hawke. I'd say early to mid 40's from the looks of her.

Oh, so she's both the cougar and the warrior chick. I see.

I don't think she's quite that old. If she is and is a romance option, well..... GET IT, AVELINE.

Yeah i'm just guessing her age, but from the new dev video, she does look kinda mature, not saying it's a bad thing. But she does look older then everyone else in the group. Strong Samara vibe coming from her so far.

She doesn't look like a cougar to me at all. I'd place her in her early thirties. And I really, really hope she's romaceable! Thank you for delivering a strong, womanly and tragic warrior, BioWare <3 Same sex romance would be too much to ask, of course, but I'll be happy if she can simply be romanced by a male.

Brace yourself, guys, I think we have a good batch of characters coming up!

[Morroian]

ShadyKat wrote...

Yeah i'm just guessing her age, but from the new dev video, she does look kinda mature, not saying it's a bad thing. But she does look older then everyone else in the group. Strong Samara vibe coming from her so far.

I would have thought around 30, with Merril being early 20s not underage.

[drahelvete]

Atakuma wrote...

drahelvete wrote...

Mission was underaged. Liara was barely legal. I don't see what the problem is.
Also, she's an elf. She's probably quite a lot older than she looks.

Liara was over 100 years old. And was mission even a romance?

Liara was barely legal for HER SPECIES. Mission was not a romance, and we don't know if Merrill will be.
Everyone is just assuming that she will be.

Modifié par drahelvete, 11 janvier 2011 - 04:48 .

[RamonIAm]

slimgrin wrote...

RinpocheSchnozberry wrote...

I kind of like that they're more distinctive now. They aren't as "pointy ear humans" anymore.

The more I look, the more I see a cliche elf. I really had faith they'd bring a different visual take on the elves this time. And Fenris does look pretty damn cool. Then there's this creature....

What I don't understand - and I'll quit my tirade with this point - is how Bioware can craft such a marvelous and unique looking universe in Mass Effect, and then struggle so much with it in Dragon Age. Do they have completely separate design teams?

Well, there are not nearly as many futuristic space fantasies as there are medieval multiple-racial ones, it's understandable that it's harder to be original on the later.

But they surely showed they CAN do it, I mean, the Qunari as far as I know, are their invention, and I think theirs is the most interesting piece of lore in Dragon Age

[Harid]

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

[Collider]

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

Are you serious?

[Harid]

Collider wrote...

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

Are you serious?

Yes?
(Note that I am not saying strong women cannot be lesbians. . .I am saying just because you are a strong woman, doesn't mean you should be a lesbian.)

Modifié par Harid, 11 janvier 2011 - 04:48 .

[TheRevelator]

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

Not just gamers.

[Thiefy]

Harid wrote...

Collider wrote...

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

Are you serious?

Yes?

may have missed something but where was it that merrill was a lesbian?  o:

[slimgrin]

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

May have to disagree with you on this. Maybe I'm a bit too enamored by the idea, I'll admit that.

[Morroian]

prazision wrote...

So, a casual gamer who wandered in here to find out about the game is supposed to know that those two "squeeing" and talking like teenagers is normal for them? You don't think it might turn away someone who doesn't follow every developer religiously, 

No. You'd have to be exceptionally judgmental to not buy a game because of that. Unreasonably so.

[Maria Caliban]

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

How many games have strong women who are lesbians in them? I can't think of one.

[Harid]

NotoriousPSC wrote...

Harid wrote...

I don't like it when game makers make strong women lesbians. . .it's kinda a trope/cliche at this point.

Not just gamers.

Absolutely true.

It's almost as bad as the 'athiests who lose their faith because life was hard' trope.

[Talon_Wu]

prazision wrote...
So, a casual gamer who wandered in here to find out about the game is supposed to know that those two "squeeing" and talking like teenagers is normal for them? You don't think it might turn away someone who doesn't follow every developer religiously, in perhaps the same way that Evil Chris suggested excessive romance threads would be detrimental to sales?

If a casual gamer is turned away from the game by one of the writers acting a little silly in the middle of a thread for a little-known, but much anticipated character, perhaps this isn't the game for them. If they are turned off by the staff interacting with the fan rabble, there are plenty of developers who don't, maybe they would be more comfortable on those forums.

As for Merrill, she's very, er, pale. And thin. She could inhale and hide behind Hawke's bicep. Don't get me wrong, I've been hoping to see Merrill return, and I hope the screenshot isn't showing her at her best (as D. Gaider implies). It's just that I already had to suspend disbelief to have my elf Wardens as melee killing machines. Clearly elves have muscles like steel cables.

[Collider]

What exactly do you mean by "strong women," and do you think you really think it's fair to judge women (or anyone) as "strong" or not?

Modifié par Collider, 11 janvier 2011 - 04:50 .

[HolyAvenger]

Or Aveline. Or anyone at this point frankly...on the tough-yet-cute thing, Sigrun anyone? Possibly my favourite character out of Awakenings.

[Dayshadow]

Maria Caliban wrote...

Look! It's an elf who is female. A dalish elven female.

Jenifer Hepler suggests she's a "virginal girl next door."



There's apparently a Merrill Appreciation Group.

What we know:
She's written by Mary Kirby.

Edit: David has reminded me that this is 'speculation.'

So remember that BioWare has not confirmed that she's a virginal girl-next-door.' They certainly haven't confirmed that she's a love interest.
--------------------------------
Fan wurks:

Is the scarf also innocent and virginal? We can only hope.

She's virginal because she's 13.  She looks 13 anyway.  Like some Toy Story character.