I had an interesting concept for a Character Creation process I thought I'd vent out here. It is not limited to the Dragon Age series*, but could be applied across the board. Also, I'm going to number sections, in case people ask questions that I tried to already answer here. Yeah... I'm anal like that.
1) I'm going to start out by saying that this idea is mostly thought of using a stat system like Fallout's SPECIAL, since the stats supplied are (fairly) static, as opposed to DA's, which inflate to ridiculously high numbers by the end of the game. In DA, a character with 20 Strength is super strong at level one, but a weakling at level thirty, so its hard to have consistency in this model (although it could be done, it would require maybe a percentage of total stats adjustment, perhaps).
Nonetheless, before I get off topic before even getting on it, here we go.
In games like DA:O, where you can have differing backgrounds or race, and in games like Fallout, where you can have special** dialogue or options based on certain stats like intelligence or charisma, these moments in conversation taht recognize your stats/background/etc are like finding hiden content, for me at least; like an Easter Egg hunt, finding little prizes hidden amongst the mundane.
It occurs to me that the reason for this is that my character is pretty much the same throughout the game (regardless of the game). These little nudges remind me of the character I created, either validating (or poking fun of, in the case of some low Intelligence Fallout dialogue) my character build and origin process.
2) Yet as I think about it, if I have to be REMINDED of the type of character I created and have been playing for dozens of hours... how much of an impact is my character's role exactly? The answer? Very little, to be honest. Even in the best of games.
As others have mentioned in the "Race option for DA3" thread, I don't talk, feel or act like Dalish, or like a member of the Dwarven royal family (or a cutthroat member of its seedy underbelly, conversely). Similarly, in a game like Fallout, having low strength and charisma, traits really only useful for carrying more stuff and having more followers, very rarely feels like the Vault Dweller/Chosen One/Exile/Courier is a wimpy, shy weakling, who would probably shuffle his/her feet with a nasaly accent when talking instead of giving out threats or ultimatums with confidence.
So... what if certain stat combinations, along with things like your background, changed everything about how your dialogue looked and felt?
3) A few disclaimers... this would need to be all text - and not just for the PC, but for all NPCs as well, if they are to legitimately react to being told something by above said wimp instead of a high charisma, high strength natural leader type. So no talkie. Also, you would be alerted to what role your character was during the CC process, with a title and a brief description, so there would be no guessing games.
4) So... what do you really mean, Fast Jimmy? You're saying things that sound awesome, but aren't giving specifics.
You're absolutely right, random person who may or may not be making this very statement. So on we go.
Again, as stated above, this would work in a SPECIAL, Fallout-type setup. So let's say you had ranges of a stat, 0-10. I choose 0-10 instead of 1-10 for even distribution (8 cannot be evenly divided by three, but 9 can, if you follow). 0 is, of course, the absolute worst and 10 being absolutely unheard of. For instance, 0 Agility would be someone who is, for all intents and purposes, border line dysfunctional. While on the other hand, 10 Agility is someone who would put those spies who contort their body around laser defense grids in bad spy movies to shame.
In the more normal ranges, 1-3 would be low, clutzy for Agility, as an example. 4-6 would be average, run of the mill. 7-9 would be good, much better than most. If you fell into the low range for Agility, this would be flagged. Whether you have a 1 score or a 3 score would only affect skill rolls, not your dialogue. So a person could have a 3 Agility and a 1 Agility and still just be labeled as a klutz.
5) Okay... so what's the big deal? You labeled my character a klutz... thanks.
The REAL interesting part is this... you have a klutz Agility score, but say you also have a high Intelligence score and a low Strength score. Let's say high intelligence is called Smart and low strength is called Wimp. And then, by virtue of the fact that you have a limited number of stat points, all of your other skills fall within the average range. Your character would be a klutzy, wimpy smart guy (or gal).
During the CC process, the game would calculate this and see that you meet this criteria, and assign you a specific title, such as "Last Kid Picked's Revenge***." You would have dialogue options that exhibit a high intellect but also have very little presence or be able to demand things physically.This wouldn't be an occasional way to say something, but would legitimately have its own script throughout the game. While some line recycling would happen (pretty often), I am thinking around a 50% different dialogue scenario, from one character type to another.
Conversely, you could have a High charisma and low Intelligence score and be a Ditz, someone who is a social butterfly but dumber than a box of rocks. The kind of people that just look at and want to pat on the head whenever they speak saying "That's nice, now go run along and play."
6) Now... I can hear people say "I like this concept. But this would be impossible to implement! You'd have to script every dialogue or event separately!" The answer? Not entirely, as there would only be a limited number (granted, a very HIGH limited number, in th dozens) of combinations. All stats would start at 5, average, with no bonus stat points to assign during CC. So you wouldn't be able to drop most things down to four and then jack up all the other stats to high very much to get mostly average but then exceptional scores.. But still... almost every dialogue line would have to be customized. Which is not easy, I'll admit. This is more of an "totally awesome if some indie developer made this a labour of love" type idea.
7) Now... here comes Twist #1. Your starting background is affected and referenced in the same manner. If you are a dwarf, you'll comment on weird Surfacer habits. If you are a mage, you'll possibly scoof at the wasted freedom of being able to go anywhere outside the Tower that non-mages take for granted. If you are a woman, you'll... I don't know, make comments about how clueless guys are about remembering birthdays?
Point being - stats do not define you entirely. Your background (however the game decides to arrange that within its setting) is going to be a big factor. However, there are nerdy dwarves. And brutish elves. And anti-social women. So your stats would supply the rough personality base of your character, while your background would flesh out their prior experience.
8) Twist #2. Skills!
So... I have a low Charisma character - after all, I don't want to be everyone's friend, I prefer to travel alone and its fun being a grouch sometimes****. BUT - I like getting my way without fighting, so I invested heavily in a Speech skill. As your skills grow, you become capable of different thing, so your personality is further defined. Our wimpy, klutzy intellect may not be the most forceful with his presence and his Charisma is rather average, but with a high speech skill, his title could turn to Voice of The Nerds! This would reflect in his dialogue, where he still reflects a non-physical, intellect based background, but with more confidence and guile, similar to what would have happened if he also had a high charisma score, but, also, different.
This would only really apply to skills that surplant or circumvent low scores and the titles they convey. A high Sneak skill would not do anything for a high agility character, its practically assumed. The same for a high Science score for a high intelligence character and a high speech score for a high charisma, etc.
9) Twist #3 Mood!
Okay, I'm borrowing this concept for DA2, since it is pretty brilliant, if haphazardly applied in that game.
Tone can be chosen in dialogue, regardless of your background. If you are the Ditz, you are still given the option of being nice when people are condescending... or you can pull a Mean Girls***** and be a total female canine. Either way, the more you choose a particular mood or response type, the more it will color your mood/personality.
In our example of a klutzy, wimpy nerd, if he****** choose all nice options, he could get the title Academic Emmissary, where his responses would be diplomatic and cordial, as well as intelligent (though not backed by force). Conversely, if everything was mean, rude or even malicious, the title could change to Angry Napoleon or even Super Villain*******.
10) Lastly... if you change your stats, either through Level progression or game events or some other mechanism, you could get a Changed Man type of title. For instance, increasing stats in Agility and/or Strength for our wimpy nerd could invoke a Changed Man kind of perk or bonus, as well as a title change (that would match up with what would have been given out during CC if the same stats were given).
Again, I realize this would require tons and TONS of dialogue trees to be written. And I also realize I put a lot of footnotes in this post********. And that the post is forever long.
But if you review the idea and have any feedback (feedback that does NOT ignore information already supplied... I have numbered the sections and I am NOT afraid to reference them!
), I'd love to hear it. Maybe if I were to become a political prisoner for a decade and had nothing to do in prison but use a game creation engine like StencylWorks, this could happen. Otherwise, its all a pipe dream in my head. But a fun pipe dream!Also, I tried to review this for grammar and may have failed horribly. At least I didn't type this from my phone, where AutoCorrect loves making things halfway unintelligible.
So... comment away!
*I thought about posting this in the Off-Topic section, given that it isn't 100% DA related, but its still RPG related, so I gave it a float here.
**No pun intended... well, okay, maybe it was.
***As in, last picked for a team like kickball. You know, like a nerd would be.
****Just ask Oscar
*****Yeah, I referenced a Lindsey Lohan movie... wanna fight about it?!
******Please ignore my inconsistent use of gender. It is not a sexist attempt, but more a result of laziness.
*******I know these titles I'm coming up with are cheesy and would not fit in with the settings of most RPGs, but I'm just shooting these off my head to convey concepts, so please just humor me.
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