I have been a fan of the Dragon Age series from the beginning, particularly the dynamic of magic and religion (side note: you can imagine my excitement with the direction the series is going in!) and as such, I've written several short stories, and an unreleased e-book concerning my OC, from Tevinter. All this time of playing the game, writing, and researching lore, and I just noticed today that an ubiqitous animal is not to be found, at all, in Dragon Age 1, 2, Legends, or otherwise.
That animal is the horse.
You can find wagons all about, some with dead/alive oxen nearby. Some dead animals at darkspawn encounters have a general shape of a four-legged animal, but it is not clear whether this is a horse or more oxen. No characters ride a horse, nor are horses seen any place you'd expect them to be. Lothering has no horses? Really?
They do exist, however. The codex for halla reference the difference of treatment between elves and the halla, and humans and their dogs and horses. The item Kaddis of the Courser, for Dog, states that the warpaint is used for mabari that chase fleeing cavalry. The codex: Mabari War Hound says that trained hounds can easily pull a knight from horseback. Thorval's Luck, a weapon, has a codex which says "One day as he rode into Denerim, his horse threw a shoe..." and there are likely other references I missed.
It seems odd that horses were left out of the game, considering a charge by knights on horseback with mabari would be devastating to an enemy front line. Perhaps, however, I just missed a horse somewhere in the games, but I doubt it.
The absent animal?
Débuté par
jpbreon
, déc. 12 2012 07:51
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#2
Guest_Faerunner_*
Posté 13 décembre 2012 - 01:09
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I think the writers know it, but they just haven't put in the time or effort to learn how to animate or incorporate horses in all the years they've been making games. In fact, I think there's been kind of a running gag through many BioWare games about the absence of horses. I think Deekin makes a comment about always walking and decides to get a horse next time in NWN: SotU, and several characters make a tongue-in-cheek comment in DA:O.
For example, Zevran: *tsks* "You look so tired my dear, I know what you need..." The Warden can respond with: "A horse?" Also, Oghren complains about all the walking and comments: "I thought these people had animals. Horses and such." Zevran responds: "In Orlais, perhaps, but not here."
I think BioWare kind of wrote themselves an escape hatch by hinting that Orlais has an adamant horse culture, or at least that their army mainly consists of their cavalries. Since Fereldan was brutally occupied by and liberated themselves from Orlais, they probably try to distance themselves by using horses as little as they can. (They probably replace them with oxen, mules and donkeys every chance they can.) I just like to pretend Fereldan just doesn't have that many horses, and the heroes happen to be in areas without horses when the camera's on them.
EDIT: As much as I love medieval fantasy RPG's, it's been kind of a pet peeve of mine that horses almost NEVER appear as well. For crying out loud, horses were integral to real-life medieval culture, and they show up quite a bit in the Hobbit and LotR too. Why are they so absent for all these Tolkien-esque fantasy games?
For example, Zevran: *tsks* "You look so tired my dear, I know what you need..." The Warden can respond with: "A horse?" Also, Oghren complains about all the walking and comments: "I thought these people had animals. Horses and such." Zevran responds: "In Orlais, perhaps, but not here."
I think BioWare kind of wrote themselves an escape hatch by hinting that Orlais has an adamant horse culture, or at least that their army mainly consists of their cavalries. Since Fereldan was brutally occupied by and liberated themselves from Orlais, they probably try to distance themselves by using horses as little as they can. (They probably replace them with oxen, mules and donkeys every chance they can.) I just like to pretend Fereldan just doesn't have that many horses, and the heroes happen to be in areas without horses when the camera's on them.
EDIT: As much as I love medieval fantasy RPG's, it's been kind of a pet peeve of mine that horses almost NEVER appear as well. For crying out loud, horses were integral to real-life medieval culture, and they show up quite a bit in the Hobbit and LotR too. Why are they so absent for all these Tolkien-esque fantasy games?
Modifié par Faerunner, 13 décembre 2012 - 01:24 .
#3
Posté 13 décembre 2012 - 02:33
jpbreon
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My thoughts, exactly, Faerunner. I had just assumed all this time that horses were either not economical/practical for the area (mages have no need for them, for example) or that the darkspawn caused trouble with horses (similar to how real life horses would get spooked by Saladin's camels during the Crusades) and it was better to not use them at all.
I have to believe, though, that given Ferelden's sparse layout that horses would be a requirement for communication between the centers of population. It just so suddenly struck me that I never saw one horse all this time, and yet in my stories I had used a horse on several occasions for the character's transportation needs.
I have to believe, though, that given Ferelden's sparse layout that horses would be a requirement for communication between the centers of population. It just so suddenly struck me that I never saw one horse all this time, and yet in my stories I had used a horse on several occasions for the character's transportation needs.
#4
Posté 13 décembre 2012 - 04:54
Blazomancer
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Right, it is surprising how we don't notice any horse in the games, especially when Maric and company made good use of horses to drive out the orlesians. Probably horses became extinct in these 30 years or so? Or probably the Fereldans became so complacent after their rebellion's success, that they slew and ate up every horse in the kingdom.
#5
Posté 13 décembre 2012 - 08:41
thats1evildude
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Sigrun: Grey Wardens sure do a lot of walking.
The issue, as they've stated before, is that horses require a lot of work to animate. It's not just the riding part; you have to consider also that fighting from horseback is quite different than fighting on foot. The combat system is based on the assumption that the party will have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
From a viewpoint of a more realistic mindset, horses require a lot of care. You got to water them, feed them, rest them, brush them and tell them what a pretty girl they are, etc. As an old saying goes, horses can go lame if you so much as look at them cross-eyed.
The issue, as they've stated before, is that horses require a lot of work to animate. It's not just the riding part; you have to consider also that fighting from horseback is quite different than fighting on foot. The combat system is based on the assumption that the party will have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
From a viewpoint of a more realistic mindset, horses require a lot of care. You got to water them, feed them, rest them, brush them and tell them what a pretty girl they are, etc. As an old saying goes, horses can go lame if you so much as look at them cross-eyed.
Modifié par thats1evildude, 13 décembre 2012 - 09:02 .
