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On Good Writing and How it Applies to Characterization and Sexuality


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#1626
Chari

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eluvianix wrote...

Morocco Mole wrote...

Chari wrote...

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one


Merril is the retcon however. And it still confuses me why they didn't just make a new character other than a desire to shoehorn the dalish warden's clan into the game.


What retcon is there? Cause I am not seeing it at all. 

Have you played Dalish Origin? Because if you met THAT Merril then you should already know the answer :wizard:

#1627
Jaulen

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Chari wrote...

I'm pretty sure Wynne didn't change her personality after being "possesed" by a spirit of Faith

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one



Wynne and Anders are two different personalities to start with...and each merged with a spirit of a differing personalities.

You're comparing apples to mangos.

Modifié par Jaulen, 29 novembre 2013 - 04:24 .


#1628
Guest_Morocco Mole_*

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As I said in my quick edit

The Merrill in Origins looked like an intelligent and collected person. The Merril in DA2 is a scatterbrained idiot.


We meet Merril for a short time in Origins, not long, but its enough to get a good glance at her original personality of a collected and intelligent person who likes to follow the rules.

The Merril in DA2 is completely different from that. Even ignoring the voice actor swap.

#1629
Hellion Rex

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Peer of the Empire wrote...

 it is annoying to be hit on by same sex characters.  That is what has affected characterization

That is the gist of it.  No one is interested in navel gazing with you


Here we go again...<_<

#1630
Chari

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Jaulen wrote...

Chari wrote...

I'm pretty sure Wynne didn't change her personality after being "possesed" by a spirit of Faith

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one



Wynne and Anders are two different personalities to start with...and each merged with a spirit of a differing personalities.

You're comparing apples to mangos.

The process is called posession by a spirit
Neither Anders or Wynne are weak-willed
Neither are Justice or Faith
Results shouldn't be too different. And they damn are. No trace of Faith can be seen in Wynne's personality
Dang, both are also spirit healers... I'm already afraid to meet the DA:I spirit healer...

#1631
Jaulen

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Peer of the Empire wrote...

 it is annoying to be hit on by same sex characters.  That is what has affected characterization

That is the gist of it.  No one is interested in navel gazing with you



Why?

Why is it annoying to be hit on by a character of the same sex, instead of one of the opposite sex?

#1632
Guest_The Mad Hanar_*

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The mages are not free to do "wahtever they want". Are you blind? They can't even raise their own damn children. They have next to zero rights as human beings. They're as near to slaves as makes no difference.


I'm sorry, I must have missed the part where they are forced to do unpaid labor under tortorous conditions. The word you are looking for is imprisonment

Justice is subjective, even embodying it doesn't make you the definitive expert on it.


You claim that he is the only person that has a social conscience, yet he constantly does things of injustice, which is part of having a conscience. Expert? Not even close. A decent embodiment? Not even that.


Abraham Lincoln cared so much about the situation of slaves that he declared a brutal, bloody war on his own countrymen. Are you going to condemn him for that, or say that the end goal of abolishing slavery wasn't worth the bloodshed?

I've yet to see these droves of priestesses you claim Anders murdered, but since they aided and abetted a fascist religion in the oppression of multiple groups, I'm not going to shed a tear over their bodies.


First of all, the Civil War's main purpose was to reunify the North and the South under one political body. Second of all, declaring war is nothing like committing an act of terrorism to become "listened to". Third of all, we have never had any proof that any of these preistesses have done anything like that. Fourth of all, you're convieniently ignoring that the Chantry does many charitable things, as we saw at the beginning of DA:O. Fifth of all, you consider imprisioning people to protect other people morally wrong, yet killing people is okay? That's pretty disturbing.

 

And everyone who lobbies for environmental protection is "extremely selfish" because they just want enjoy clean air and trees, and they don't care about that poor petrol company that wants to strip mine the rainforest.


Well, if their goal was to shut down the Petrol company, then yes. They'd be making many people lose their jobs just so they could have the world match their vision.

Fenris makes it very clear that he'd happily do the same to Anders, given the opportunity.


So the guy with a conscience acts just like the guy without a conscience? Interesting.


Except that's garbage. The Darktown beggars and Ferelden refugees have no sway in Kirkwall. Helping them earns him nothing.

She gained ease of mind from the burden of guilt she was carrying after she drowned a shipment of slaves to facilitate her own escape.


Except he gains a good reputation amongst the people in the town to the point where they won't give him away to the Templars. That's pretty useful. Also, he wants to feel like he's doing some good, much like Isabella.

Yes, and at great risk to himself. If he was truly 'selfish', like he was in Awakening, he wouldn't bother. All Anders cared about in Awakening was his own freedom, and he didn't have any qualms about killing people that got in the way of that. Which is perfectly acceptable. People are well within their rights to use any means necessary to defend the lives and freedom of themselves and others.


So, again, imprisioning the mages because they are by their nature dangerous, yet killing people is okay? Again, intersting.

Modifié par The Mad Hanar, 29 novembre 2013 - 04:32 .


#1633
Jaulen

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Chari wrote...

Jaulen wrote...

Chari wrote...

I'm pretty sure Wynne didn't change her personality after being "possesed" by a spirit of Faith

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one



Wynne and Anders are two different personalities to start with...and each merged with a spirit of a differing personalities.

You're comparing apples to mangos.

The process is called posession by a spirit
Neither Anders or Wynne are weak-willed
Neither are Justice or Faith
Results shouldn't be too different. And they damn are. No trace of Faith can be seen in Wynne's personality
Dang, both are also spirit healers... I'm already afraid to meet the DA:I spirit healer...



Go back and replay DAO and see how Wynne describes the spirit of Faith....

Compare that to the representation of Justice in DAA and tell me if thats the same thing.

It's not.

#1634
Lebanese Dude

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Jaulen wrote...



Peer of the Empire wrote...

 it is annoying to be hit on by same sex characters.  That is what has affected characterization

That is the gist of it.  No one is interested in navel gazing with you



Why?

Why is it annoying to be hit on by a character of the same sex, instead of one of the opposite sex?


Ignore this. Threads get locked due to these pointless dicussions.

#1635
Hellion Rex

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Chari wrote...
The process is called posession by a spirit
Neither Anders or Wynne are weak-willed
Neither are Justice or Faith
Results shouldn't be too different. And they damn are. No trace of Faith can be seen in Wynne's personality
Dang, both are also spirit healers... I'm already afraid to meet the DA:I spirit healer...

Wynne was dead before Faith brought her back. Her life force was literally tethered to that spirit. So in that sense, she was a more seamless integration. Also, it doesn't matter about being weak willed, it has to do with their personalities. Wynne wasnt out to prove something when she was possessed like Anders was. 

#1636
Br3admax

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Lebdood wrote...

Br3ad wrote...

Lebdood wrote...

Anders is an obvious focal point of the discussion, but he's also a very controversial one. People are forgetting that he's infused with a spirit of Justice. He isn't a "normal" person like the other characters.

You can't even use the same characterisation parameters against him.

Uh, yes we can. Also, Anders corrupted Justice, not the other way around. Anders holds these view points on his own. 


That is a huge assumption.

He held those points of view but he would not be as volatile if he weren't infused with a spirit. 

Perhaps he should be looked upon from a different perspective?



No he shouldn't, because Anders will outright tell you that it was he tht corrupted Justice with his anger. Justice may have made Anders act on it a few times, but the beliefs within themselves are all Anders. Justice didn't make Anders want to kill Templars. Justice didn't make Anders want to have an all out war with them. Justice didn't make Anders want to blow up the Chantry. These are all things that Anders himself wanted to do. 

#1637
Chari

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Jaulen wrote...



Peer of the Empire wrote...

 it is annoying to be hit on by same sex characters.  That is what has affected characterization

That is the gist of it.  No one is interested in navel gazing with you



Why?

Why is it annoying to be hit on by a character of the same sex, instead of one of the opposite sex?

It's annoying to be hit on by anyone, regardless of gender... but when it comes to LGBT community, they sometimes misinterpret your disinterest as homophobia
Dang, girl, if I don't swing that way it doesn't mean I am some evil gay-hating piranha. I just don't like girls, geez

#1638
Plaintiff

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Br3ad wrote...
In this instance, Anders is completely ignoring the fact that the Templars do have a valid reason to want to hold mages. He's ignoring the fact that mages can be very dangerous. He's ignoring that not everyone is in control of themselves or their powers. Every mage isn't harmless and thus the Templars are needed. 

Nonsense. At no point does he ever deny or ignore the fact that mages are dangerous.

You brought up the KKK, and here I'm talking about Dragon Age. Which is what we are supposed to be talking about. The Templar Order is not the KKK, nor do they have similar ideology, so I don't know why you continue to bring it up.

How is this difficult to comprehend? Let me break it down:

You are trying to refute my statement about Anders possessing a social conscience. You're trying to tell me he doesn't have one, based on your personal idea of what having a social conscience means. You said it means "realizing the points of the other side", and that every side has "rights and wrongs".

I countered this by asserting that in certain debates, some positions are wholly antithetical to each other. I used the example of  equal civil rights: a minority group is either deserving of equal civil rights or it is not. Therefore, there is no choice but to deem one side of the debate as being wholly "wrong"

It is now your turn now to bolster your argument, you can use any activist group you like that opposes civil rights for any minority group; you have to demonstrate that these groups have valid points, thus necessitating a need for the socially conscious to make an effort to understand them.

Because in order to determine whether or not Anders has a social conscince, you need to make it clearer what you think a social conscience in fact, is, because you seem to oppose the dictionary definition; which only requires an individual to care about perceived injustices in their society.

See above again.

Okay, you can keep saying this but it's not going to make your argument suddenly make sense. Whatever point you think you made earlier; it didn't work.

No one has addressed your moral stance.

I never said they did.

Again, this isn't about you, we are talking about Anders.

Well in addition to talking about ANders, I want to know why you insist on engaging me when I repeatedly ask you not to.

And while you continue to insult me or call my points gibberish, I have not once said a thing about you personally,

Okay, let me make one thing clear: when I say your poin ts are gibberish, I mean I have no idea what you are trying to say. They are literally illegible. There's no logical flow of ideas, and sometimes your sentence structure is so bad that it makes me think English isn't your first language.

I'm not trying to insult you (right now). I am trying to be helpful.

nor have I talked about your views as wrong.

What do you thinkthis whole debate is? If you don't think I'm wrong, why are you engaging me? It's certainly not to agree with all my fabulous arguments.

I don't even know you. Just as you don't know my stance on this issue, or which side I support. Mage or Templar.

You're right, I don't know your "true" stance. But your true stance is irrelevent, I'm responding to what you post.

If anything, I more believe that you used the KKK in this instance in an attempt to make me feel some guilt, making me support the mage view or in an attempt to defame being pro-Templar, which is not even something that I am. If that was the intent, it was a waste of time. If it was not, then I overthinking it. Either way, the KKK really shouldn't be brought up here.

No, I used it because I am legitimately trying to understand your personal definition of the general concept of a social conscience. The debate can't move forward until this issue is resolved.

Also, you said that every side of every debate has some "right" arguments. I want to know what they are. I am genuinely curious.

#1639
Jaulen

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Br3ad wrote...

[No he shouldn't, because Anders will outright tell you that it was he tht corrupted Justice with his anger. Justice may have made Anders act on it a few times, but the beliefs within themselves are all Anders. Justice didn't make Anders want to kill Templars. Justice didn't make Anders want to have an all out war with them. Justice didn't make Anders want to blow up the Chantry. These are all things that Anders himself wanted to do. 


I do think he should be looked at differently.....

Anders in DAA just wants to be left alone.

It's Justice that makes Anders 'see' the plight of the mages....and after they merge....begin to take action on it.

#1640
Hellion Rex

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Chari wrote...
It's annoying to be hit on by anyone, regardless of gender... but when it comes to LGBT community, they sometimes misinterpret your disinterest as homophobia
Dang, girl, if I don't swing that way it doesn't mean I am some evil gay-hating piranha. I just don't like girls, geez


Let us move on. This is kinda off topic. 

#1641
Br3admax

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Jaulen wrote...

 Bra3d wrote.....

In this instance, Anders is completely ignoring the fact that the Templars do have a valid reason to want to hold mages. He's ignoring the fact that mages can be very dangerous. He's ignoring that not everyone is in control of themselves or their powers. Every mage isn't harmless and thus the Templars are needed.


So, becuase of the fact that SOME mages may be dangerous.....it's okay to lock up ALL mages? That would be like throwing the wheat out with the chaff because you're too lazy to winnow your wheat properly. Or we could say....locking up ALL men to keep them away from women because SOME men are rapists.

No. There is a difference between these things, and being able to summon demons, throw around fireballs, and shape reality. We can try to compare mages to IRL groups, including food now apparently, all we want, but they aren't the same. 

#1642
phantomrachie

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Chari wrote...

eluvianix wrote...

Morocco Mole wrote...

Chari wrote...

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one


Merril is the retcon however. And it still confuses me why they didn't just make a new character other than a desire to shoehorn the dalish warden's clan into the game.


What retcon is there? Cause I am not seeing it at all. 

Have you played Dalish Origin? Because if you met THAT Merril then you should already know the answer :wizard:


The Dalish Warden is my favourite origin and I've played it through multiple times and I don't feel
that we know enough about her character in DA:O to say that she was retconed in DA2.

She was clearly curious about the Mirror when it was found which is consistent with how she is
in DA2. We didn't talk to her about her sexuality so she could've been bi the whole time as it didn't come up in the short time we spent with her. She is perhaps not as naive in DA:O then in DA2 but in DA:O we only see her surrounded by her clan mates and in a setting she is comfortable in; we don't see her interact with any strangers apart from Duncan. 

All in all I think that we knew very little about her character in DA:O and what we did know was transferred to DA:2 i.e. she was the Keeper's First, knew Magic and was curious about the Mirror

Modifié par phantomrachie, 29 novembre 2013 - 04:34 .


#1643
Chari

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Jaulen wrote...

Chari wrote...

Jaulen wrote...

Chari wrote...

I'm pretty sure Wynne didn't change her personality after being "possesed" by a spirit of Faith

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one



Wynne and Anders are two different personalities to start with...and each merged with a spirit of a differing personalities.

You're comparing apples to mangos.

The process is called posession by a spirit
Neither Anders or Wynne are weak-willed
Neither are Justice or Faith
Results shouldn't be too different. And they damn are. No trace of Faith can be seen in Wynne's personality
Dang, both are also spirit healers... I'm already afraid to meet the DA:I spirit healer...



Go back and replay DAO and see how Wynne describes the spirit of Faith....

Compare that to the representation of Justice in DAA and tell me if thats the same thing.

It's not.

Spirits are spirits, regardless of what they represent. Same with demons.
And no, just because she was dying it does not hange anything
The thing is, change is fine, if it is shown to be naturally and slowly happening. In case of Anders even the timeline is messed up - he just couldn't physically reach Kirkwall that fast - and the change, is, apparently, immident. In the end, Janders doesn't have anything left of Anders, Vengeance - of Justice

#1644
Guest_Morocco Mole_*

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I think it would do wonders if people would stop freaking about people not wanting to be hit on by the same sex. Especially when some of you are saying the exact things.

#1645
Chari

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phantomrachie wrote...

Chari wrote...

eluvianix wrote...

Morocco Mole wrote...

Chari wrote...

Besides, no explanation for Merril change has even been done officialy. And there is one damn big retcon, even physical one


Merril is the retcon however. And it still confuses me why they didn't just make a new character other than a desire to shoehorn the dalish warden's clan into the game.


What retcon is there? Cause I am not seeing it at all. 

Have you played Dalish Origin? Because if you met THAT Merril then you should already know the answer :wizard:


The Dalish Warden is
my favourite origin and I've played it through multiple times and I don't feel
that we know enough about her character in DA:O to say that she was retconed in
DA2.



She was clearly
curious about the Mirror when it was found which is consistent with how she is
in DA2. We didn't talk to her about her sexuality so she could've been bi the
whole time as it didn't come up in the short time we spent with her. She is
perhaps not as naive in DA:O then in DA2 but in DA:O we only see her surrounded
by her clan mates and in a setting she is comfortable in; we don't see her
interact with any strangers apart from Duncan. 



All in all I think
that we knew very little about her character in DA:O and what we did know was
transferred to DA:2 i.e. she was the Keeper's First, knew Magic and was curious
about the Mirror

We knew enough to learn a bit about her speech pattern, a bit of mind set, and appearance - nothing of it stays in DA2. 
Curiosity is not against her personaity - this is probably the only thing that stays from the old Merril - everything else is. 
Old Merril was collected, calm and concentrated on mission, even if she did want to learn about the mirror
New Merril would talk about butterflies and can't even understand a simple trick or irony

#1646
Guest_The Mad Hanar_*

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Morocco Mole wrote...

I think it would do wonders if people would stop freaking about people not wanting to be hit on by the same sex. Especially when some of you are saying the exact things.


I don't think it's any different then a woman being offput by being asked out by a man she isn't interested in or a man being offput by being asked out by a woman he isn't interested in. It makes people uncomfortable, especially when a man would never date a man or a woman would never date a woman. It's all about awkward discomfort.

#1647
Jaulen

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Chari wrote...

Spirits are spirits, regardless of what they represent. Same with demons.
And no, just because she was dying it does not hange anything
The thing is, change is fine, if it is shown to be naturally and slowly happening. In case of Anders even the timeline is messed up - he just couldn't physically reach Kirkwall that fast - and the change, is, apparently, immident. In the end, Janders doesn't have anything left of Anders, Vengeance - of Justice



So...to your your analogy that a spirit is a spirit is a spirit....(personally I think you are being obtuse)

An apple is an apple is an apple.....so although this granny smith apple is a different type of apple......it should taste the exact same as this honeycrisp apple...because...you know....they are both apples.

Modifié par Jaulen, 29 novembre 2013 - 04:38 .


#1648
Guest_Morocco Mole_*

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I don't think it's any different then a woman being offput by being asked out by a man she isn't interested in or a man being offput by being asked out by a woman he isn't interested in. It makes people uncomfortable, especially when a man would never date a man or a woman would never date a woman. It's all about awkward discomfort.


Exactly. Unless someone is shouting actual bigoted slurs then it is perfectly acceptable for a straight person to be uncomfortable about a gay person hitting on them. And vice versa.

#1649
Chari

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Jaulen wrote...

Chari wrote...

Spirits are spirits, regardless of what they represent. Same with demons.
And no, just because she was dying it does not hange anything
The thing is, change is fine, if it is shown to be naturally and slowly happening. In case of Anders even the timeline is messed up - he just couldn't physically reach Kirkwall that fast - and the change, is, apparently, immident. In the end, Janders doesn't have anything left of Anders, Vengeance - of Justice



So...to your your analogy that a spirit is a spirit is a spirit....(personally I think you are being obtuse)

An apple is an apple is an apple.....so although this granny smith apple is a different type of apple......it should taste the exact same as this honeycrisp apple...because...you know....they are both apples.



They have different, eh, shades of taste, but still consist of similiar essence and grow in a similiar process

#1650
Jaulen

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Chari wrote...

They have different, eh, shades of taste, but still consist of similiar essence and grow in a similiar process


And with that I'll stop replying to you, because you are being obtuse.