636 réponses à ce sujet

[Dejajeva]

brushyourteeth wrote...

I think it's an interesting question, no matter what Bioware does.

I do too.

Admittedly, I have more faith in Bioware than almost everyone on this forum some people, so I'm really excited to see what they come up with for companions. Admittedly, though, I will be pretty disappointed if Cullen isn't, just because it makes so much sense to me.

[the_one_54321]

It is an interesting question, but you're going to get a whole lot of bitter mixed up in the responses. A lot of people were really unhappy with how a lot of things were handled in DAII. Personally, I'd like to be able to imagine that DAII never happened, and have DAIII take up where DA:O left off. They retconned (never ever a good idea), they stripped things from combat that many of us loved, they stripped things from the environmental design that many of us loved**, they used just plain bad area, atmosphere, and encounter design (admittedly fixed in DLCs), and .. well.. there you have it. A number of us really felt like the game was a slap in the face. So there's a lot of bitterness.

** I remember watching a particular interview with one guy and he talked about the Circle library in DA:O. He mentioned how there were 30000 books and probably no one noticed. So they cut out all such details to save time and effort in DAII. A lot of us were absolutely incredulous over that. That library was an awesome area. And yes, I noticed the damn books.

[brushyourteeth]

I think that people are so used to BSN topics that are meant to strong-arm the devs by being all "see?! This is what we want - my topic proves it!" that they don't know how to handle a hypothetical question just for the "I love dragon age" of it.

But I think it's a really neat topic idea.

[brushyourteeth]

the_one_54321 wrote...

Dejajeva wrote...
If you could have ONE past companion back as a future companion, from either game- just ONE, who would it be? I think for me it would be Varric.

I actually don't want them to reintroduce any old characters that once had a significant role. Honestly, I feel they butchered Leliana, Anders should have been dead, and Zevran should have been a skeleton on the side of some road.

If they don't intend to include consequences, then they shouldn't offer the choices to beging with. As much as I have previously enjoyed BioWare games, DAII really shattered my faith in their ability to continue a saga. In large part because of the changes they made to combat, but also much to do with how they handled the choices we made in DA:O. Those choices revolving around the characters that were important in that game.

I agree with you completely, George. I disagree with retcon in all its forms without a very, very good explanation. You can't just bring dead characters back to life. Sometimes we really, really wanted them dead the first time.

[Dejajeva]

the_one_54321 wrote...

It is an interesting question, but you're going to get a whole lot of bitter mixed up in the responses. A lot of people were really unhappy with how a lot of things were handled in DAII. Personally, I'd like to be able to imagine that DAII never happened, and have DAIII take up where DA:O left off. They retconned (never ever a good idea), they stripped things from combat that many of us loved, they stripped things from the environmental design that many of us loved**, they used just plain bad area, atmosphere, and encounter design (admittedly fixed in DLCs), and .. well.. there you have it. A number of us really felt like the game was a slap in the face. So there's a lot of bitterness.

** I remember watching a particular interview with one guy and he talked about the Circle library in DA:O. He mentioned how there were 30000 books and probably no one noticed. So they cut out all such details to save time and effort in DAII. A lot of us were absolutely incredulous over that. That library was an awesome area. And yes, I noticed the damn books.

It's a pretty sticky topic in general, and I don't mind a bit of bitterness. I've had a lot of that cast back at me because I'm a "casual" "console" player that people view ruined DA2. There's a lot I dislike about DA2 and there's a lot I like. I don't think it's all gloom and doom, though I certainly respect your opinion.

And honestly, there's bitter in every.single.thread on this forum. It's something I'm quite used to by now. Hopefully some people will understand it as a hypothetical question that's not to be taken too seriously.

[brushyourteeth]

the_one_54321 wrote...

** I remember watching a particular interview with one guy and he talked about the Circle library in DA:O. He mentioned how there were 30000 books and probably no one noticed. So they cut out all such details to save time and effort in DAII. A lot of us were absolutely incredulous over that. That library was an awesome area. And yes, I noticed the damn books.

No joke! When I was watching that Cullen video today it took place in the Circle tower. I was like "man, I totally forgot how awesome the Circle library is!"

Of course, a lot of people who didn't play as mages or didn't play the Witch Hunt DLC never got to see it when it looked the way it was supposed to.

Anyone who says the DA:O graphics are crap is insane. Room for improvement, but seriously - the scope of it is still amazing.

[the_one_54321]

First time I saw the mage tower was as a rogue, and I remember searching through all those books to find the stuff I needed to complete the summoning side quest. Maybe I didn't stand there and think "wow, look at all those books!" But I did experience them, and I did remember that area and what I did there.

Oh, and if you played DA:O on the PC with graphics on the highest setting, the imagery was cutting edge for that year. The folks who played on the console never got to experience that. It was fantastic, especially in the Deep Roads and the Brecilian Forest.

Modifié par the_one_54321, 20 avril 2012 - 05:13 .

[brushyourteeth]

Orzammar. Man, the only thing in DAII that remotely compared to that setting was the Wounded Coast.

[Dejajeva]

The wounded coast annoyed me. I didn't mind the area as much as I minded what you saw when you looked out into the distance. I should have been able to spy kirkwall in the distance. Or smoke or something. It was just all grey and brown. I didn't feel connected to Kirkwall at all. Same with Sundermount. Your telling me I can't see ruins or kirkwall or cliffs from the top of a damled mountain? Smh.

[brushyourteeth]

Dejajeva wrote...

The wounded coast annoyed me. I didn't mind the area as much as I minded what you saw when you looked out into the distance. I should have been able to spy kirkwall in the distance. Or smoke or something. It was just all grey and brown. I didn't feel connected to Kirkwall at all. Same with Sundermount. Your telling me I can't see ruins or kirkwall or cliffs from the top of a damled mountain? Smh.

I never thought of that, but it's true - especially about Sundermount. You can't see anything, not even the coast. I thought that whole area was kind of lackluster anyway. It was neither creepy nor the kind of woodsy place I imagine the Dalish taking solace in. And then there were these random dwarven ruins.

[berelinde]

Oh, I think BioWare has learned their lesson about bringing back characters that can be killed (I'm looking at you, Leliana. Your corpse was defiled by darkspawn in Lothering in my game.)

Nifty fact, though: Cullen can't die. He is always there to watch you walk off into the sunset (or to kneel to you, I guess, although that only happened in 2 of my games since I don't have many pro-Chantry Hawkes). He always survives into the epilogue and would be available to return in DA3.

The Chantry is getting adequate representation this time around in the form of Cassandra. I'd like to see Cullen take the next logical step and question whether his (former) order is really serving the Maker or whether they have lost the way. So I'd like him to retain his faith but cast off his ties to the Chantry. I suspect I'm the only one here in this thread that feels that way, though. Regardless, I could see him getting along okay with protagonist that supported mage rights whether he personally supported the Chantry or not, so I'd be satisfied either way. As long as they don't give him a nervous breakdown and turn him into a second Ser Alrik.

[TJX2045]

berelinde wrote...

Oh, I think BioWare has learned their lesson about bringing back characters that can be killed (I'm looking at you, Leliana. Your corpse was defiled by darkspawn in Lothering in my game.)

Nifty fact, though: Cullen can't die. He is always there to watch you walk off into the sunset (or to kneel to you, I guess, although that only happened in 2 of my games since I don't have many pro-Chantry Hawkes). He always survives into the epilogue and would be available to return in DA3.

The Chantry is getting adequate representation this time around in the form of Cassandra. I'd like to see Cullen take the next logical step and question whether his (former) order is really serving the Maker or whether they have lost the way. So I'd like him to retain his faith but cast off his ties to the Chantry. I suspect I'm the only one here in this thread that feels that way, though. Regardless, I could see him getting along okay with protagonist that supported mage rights whether he personally supported the Chantry or not, so I'd be satisfied either way. As long as they don't give him a nervous breakdown and turn him into a second Ser Alrik.

No, I agree with you.  In fact, it's almost the other way around.  I see most of the Templars, especially after Meredith, straying away from what the Chantry was really intending in DA2.  In DA:O I felt like most templars had good intentions.  In DA2 I feel like they all just go on mage hunts for fun.  Sure, Kirkwall mages aren't as good as the Ferelden ones, but the Templars are so much worse than in DA:O.  They were so different by comparison that I was actually shocked.  They treated them like people for the most part in DA:O.  They treated them like things in DA2.  Which, as all my canon characters in this series have been mage since I prefer playing mages, pissed me off to no end, even when I played the good mage.  It's also another reason I was happy to kill Fenris at the end when I couldnt' convince him to join the mage side in my canon playthrough.

[brushyourteeth]

TJX2045 wrote...

berelinde wrote...

Oh, I think BioWare has learned their lesson about bringing back characters that can be killed (I'm looking at you, Leliana. Your corpse was defiled by darkspawn in Lothering in my game.)

Nifty fact, though: Cullen can't die. He is always there to watch you walk off into the sunset (or to kneel to you, I guess, although that only happened in 2 of my games since I don't have many pro-Chantry Hawkes). He always survives into the epilogue and would be available to return in DA3.

The Chantry is getting adequate representation this time around in the form of Cassandra. I'd like to see Cullen take the next logical step and question whether his (former) order is really serving the Maker or whether they have lost the way. So I'd like him to retain his faith but cast off his ties to the Chantry. I suspect I'm the only one here in this thread that feels that way, though. Regardless, I could see him getting along okay with protagonist that supported mage rights whether he personally supported the Chantry or not, so I'd be satisfied either way. As long as they don't give him a nervous breakdown and turn him into a second Ser Alrik.

No, I agree with you.  In fact, it's almost the other way around.  I see most of the Templars, especially after Meredith, straying away from what the Chantry was really intending in DA2.  In DA:O I felt like most templars had good intentions.  In DA2 I feel like they all just go on mage hunts for fun.  Sure, Kirkwall mages aren't as good as the Ferelden ones, but the Templars are so much worse than in DA:O.  They were so different by comparison that I was actually shocked.  They treated them like people for the most part in DA:O.  They treated them like things in DA2.  Which, as all my canon characters in this series have been mage since I prefer playing mages, pissed me off to no end, even when I played the good mage.  It's also another reason I was happy to kill Fenris at the end when I couldnt' convince him to join the mage side in my canon playthrough.

I agree with you there. I think, first of all, that due to the breakdown of rank in the Chantry, most Templars and Sisters have no idea what the Divine herself actually thinks of all this - they just know how their immediate superiors feel about it. That's why the Ferelden mages were treated like people (bravo, Gregoir), the Kirkwall mages were treated like dangerous animals (boo, Meredith) and the Kirkwall sisters did practically nothing at all (thanks a lot, Elthina). If Cullen knew how the Divine felt about the issue, I bet he'd side with her - but since he probably doesn't, this is where I'm guessing he stands:

I am a Templar. I have a duty to protect the world from mages and mages from themselves.
I don't know how to do anything else.
I have a duty to the Maker.
I hate the way the Chantry has us treat mages. They effectively encourage us to "do harm without provocation" which is technically against our code.

He's a perfect representation of the breakdown of Chantry control.

Soo.... I don't see Cullen leaving the Chantry (at least for long) or becoming anything like Meredith. I see him being confused and conflicted, but still feeling like it's his duty to do something to help, somehow. And he'll be wanting someone strong to help him see which road he should take.
Which makes him a perfect companion for our DAIII hero.

Modifié par brushyourteeth, 20 avril 2012 - 04:09 .

[the_one_54321]

Everyone in Kirkwall was bats*** crazy. Hawke should have, after no more than one year, said "you're all crazy, and I'm leaving."

[brushyourteeth]

the_one_54321 wrote...

Everyone in Kirkwall was bats*** crazy. Hawke should have, after no more than one year, said "you're all crazy, and I'm leaving."

Haha. I'd like to play that game.

[LolaLei]

Oooo we're back on topic... sort of lol.

Yeah, I loved the circle tower there was so much to look at! Even now when I watch videos of it on YouTube I notice that I missed something, even though I've played it at least 5 or 6 times now.

All the areas in Kirkwall were dull. Except the MotA dlc, that was pretty but it still lacked the scope DA:O had... still, at least they started to get themselves back on track with the dlc... even if it was a little too late lol.

[LolaLei]

brushyourteeth wrote...

TJX2045 wrote...

berelinde wrote...

Oh, I think BioWare has learned their lesson about bringing back characters that can be killed (I'm looking at you, Leliana. Your corpse was defiled by darkspawn in Lothering in my game.)

Nifty fact, though: Cullen can't die. He is always there to watch you walk off into the sunset (or to kneel to you, I guess, although that only happened in 2 of my games since I don't have many pro-Chantry Hawkes). He always survives into the epilogue and would be available to return in DA3.

The Chantry is getting adequate representation this time around in the form of Cassandra. I'd like to see Cullen take the next logical step and question whether his (former) order is really serving the Maker or whether they have lost the way. So I'd like him to retain his faith but cast off his ties to the Chantry. I suspect I'm the only one here in this thread that feels that way, though. Regardless, I could see him getting along okay with protagonist that supported mage rights whether he personally supported the Chantry or not, so I'd be satisfied either way. As long as they don't give him a nervous breakdown and turn him into a second Ser Alrik.

No, I agree with you.  In fact, it's almost the other way around.  I see most of the Templars, especially after Meredith, straying away from what the Chantry was really intending in DA2.  In DA:O I felt like most templars had good intentions.  In DA2 I feel like they all just go on mage hunts for fun.  Sure, Kirkwall mages aren't as good as the Ferelden ones, but the Templars are so much worse than in DA:O.  They were so different by comparison that I was actually shocked.  They treated them like people for the most part in DA:O.  They treated them like things in DA2.  Which, as all my canon characters in this series have been mage since I prefer playing mages, pissed me off to no end, even when I played the good mage.  It's also another reason I was happy to kill Fenris at the end when I couldnt' convince him to join the mage side in my canon playthrough.

I agree with you there. I think, first of all, that due to the breakdown of rank in the Chantry, most Templars and Sisters have no idea what the Divine herself actually thinks of all this - they just know how their immediate superiors feel about it. That's why the Ferelden mages were treated like people (bravo, Gregoir), the Kirkwall mages were treated like dangerous animals (boo, Meredith) and the Kirkwall sisters did practically nothing at all (thanks a lot, Elthina). If Cullen knew how the Divine felt about the issue, I bet he'd side with her - but since he probably doesn't, this is where I'm guessing he stands:

I am a Templar. I have a duty to protect the world from mages and mages from themselves.
I don't know how to do anything else.
I have a duty to the Maker.
I hate the way the Chantry has us treat mages. They effectively encourage us to "do harm without provocation" which is technically against our code.

He's a perfect representation of the breakdown of Chantry control.

Soo.... I don't see Cullen leaving the Chantry (at least for long) or becoming anything like Meredith. I see him being confused and conflicted, but still feeling like it's his duty to do something to help, somehow. And he'll be wanting someone strong to help him see which road he should take.
Which makes him a perfect companion for our DAIII hero.

Didn't the Divine kinda side with the Mages in the Asunder novel? Or at least take pity on them? if Cullen knew that then I suspect he'd go with the Divines wishes, rather than rebel with the other Templars.

[brushyourteeth]

LolaLei wrote...
Didn't the Divine kinda side with the Mages in the Asunder novel? Or at least take pity on them? if Cullen knew that then I suspect he'd go with the Divines wishes, rather than rebel with the other Templars.

She wanted much fairer treatment for mages, which is a pretty radical sentiment for the Chantry. Obviously not everyone was on board, even though they're not technically allowed to disagree with the Maker's chosen voice on Thedas.

[LolaLei]

brushyourteeth wrote...

LolaLei wrote...
Didn't the Divine kinda side with the Mages in the Asunder novel? Or at least take pity on them? if Cullen knew that then I suspect he'd go with the Divines wishes, rather than rebel with the other Templars.

She wanted much fairer treatment for mages, which is a pretty radical sentiment for the Chantry. Obviously not everyone was on board, even though they're not technically allowed to disagree with the Maker's chosen voice on Thedas.

I reckon Cullen would be onboard with her idea. That would be a good way to introduce him as a companion as well, if he's carrying out the Divine's wishes directly and our new Hero ends up involved with that (either by being part of the Mage rebellion or getting thrown directly into the politics like Hawke was etc.)

Modifié par LolaLei, 20 avril 2012 - 05:04 .

[LolaLei]

Y'know I think he'll definitely be in the game in some capacity (be it as a companion/LI or NPC) because he would have been summoned to Orlais by the Divine herself (or that other bloke with the poncey name) to discuss/answer for the Kirkwall events with Meredith since that's largely what kicked this whole thing off.

Modifié par LolaLei, 20 avril 2012 - 05:17 .

[brushyourteeth]

LolaLei wrote...

Y'know I think he'll definitely be in the game in some capacity (be it as a companion/LI or NPC) because he would have been summoned to Orlais by the Divine herself to discuss/answer for the Kirkwall events with Meredith since that's largely what kicked this whole thing off.

You're right - he was second in command, and possibly the one who ordered Meredith to stand down.

[LolaLei]

brushyourteeth wrote...

LolaLei wrote...

Y'know I think he'll definitely be in the game in some capacity (be it as a companion/LI or NPC) because he would have been summoned to Orlais by the Divine herself to discuss/answer for the Kirkwall events with Meredith since that's largely what kicked this whole thing off.

You're right - he was second in command, and possibly the one who ordered Meredith to stand down.

Yeah he does order Meredith to stand down, then she accuses him of being under the thrall of a blood Mage (either Hawke if he/she's a Mage or one of the others.)

[brushyourteeth]

that lady was in-sane.

[Dejajeva]

*pokes thread*

[brushyourteeth]

ouch!