Without turning this into a DA-vs-Skyrim discussion, I think it's interesting to note the mixed reactions (here, here and here, to point to a few) to Hearthfire's style of customisable house - basically, quite linear, restricted and without much impact on the gameworld beyond the sense of accomplishment inherent on shiny upgrades. If nothing else, those reviews do provide some insight into what works and what doesn't (or rather, what players value and what they find superfluous). It's rather handy critical feedback to have, really.
So: what would DA players like to see in any hypothetical future game-thing that could include a central base for the player that can be upgraded over time? I can think of a few suggestions:
- The more customisability, the better. I don't think it has to be Minecraftian in scope, but something more dynamic than Hawke's mansion is a good thing. Depending on the zots actual structural work (adding wings/rooms?) or modifying the interiors would be interesting, but I'm aware that it's not exactly a DA priority.
- Reactivity to events and decisions. An obvious one, but a system of upgrades or opportunities to influence the look/function/purpose of the base so that it isn't a bespoke one-size-fits-every-player *thing* is probably a good idea.
- Integration with quests/the story. Much like Vigil's Keep was pivotal to some of Awakening's main story (in doing so reflecting our choices about upgrades) and hosted a bunch of other interesting quests about the local nobility, I'd love to see the player's 'castle' (for want of a better word) have at least a few quests associated with it, and for it to matter to the plot in the sense of being more than a box to house companions.
- A sense of ownership and uniqueness - that the base is distinct to the protagonist and their story. It's a bit of a nebulous concept to desire in a feature, but I'll just slot in something about player agency here and bam, relevance.
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