138964 réponses à ce sujet

[Tishina]

Man, I got take a nap and miss about 10 pages, so I'm a bit behind and I'm not going to try to go back and quote at this point...

 

I didn't think elven would be much of an issue to Cullen, though obviously it isn't a relationship encouraged by the Chantry and a Dalish might have been concerned about that. I was more concerned about the absence of discussion between them regarding religious differences (in a game, ironically, exploring faith?) The Chantry definitely opposes Dalish beliefs, and the differences are not as simple as denominational. The entire belief systems are different in major ways, as well as cultures. That doesn't mean I think it would block a relationship, but you don't cross that sort of gulf between them without a little discussion to understand each other.

 

My difficulties with the Blackwall relationship are the timing of the revelation because it leaves me feeling that you never get a chance to find out who he is when he isn't impersonating someone else. I actually find him very attractive, especially his voice; I love his flirts; I enjoy his humor (especially with Sera in the party); and I have some respect for what he's tried to do to atone. I think his writer did a very good job walking the line of giving you slight hints something wasn't right and definitely succeeded in writing a character who evokes strong emotional reactions. But it puts me off that you don't get a chance to unravel what was real and what was lies and actually rebuild some of the trust the reveal loses. I think those who are happy with the romance are inclined to just take his words and actions at face value while I'm more inclined to say, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, how do you know since the romance content is pretty much over with at that point?

[LolaLei]

Man, I feel really bad for Solas reading about all those Fen'Harel/Dread Wolf codexes etc, lol. 

[Narcia_]

Hard to say, maybe they'd start corrupting normal Dragons? Or like Zombies they'd gradually sorta die out?

 

I'm sure we'll never find this out, anyway

[Laupe]

The way I see it, Solas' people clearly ballsed up enough during their time for Solas/whoever to lock them away/put a stop to them. They're time has past, the current generation needs to live on and thrive until they f*ck up and the next lot take over. Circle of life 'n' all that!

 

Y'know, the ancient Elves kinda remind me of the Protheans from Mass Effect in that respect.

Sorry to interrupt but now I cant take the image of Solas asking to throw Sera out of the airlock out of my head ...  

[Tishina]

Actually, not true. Because the Still Ruins were actually studying something similar, only they got frozen in time around the Second Blight.

I don't even know who or what those are, are they from one of the books and did they actually succeed? I was just commenting on Alexius's research and what they stated in this game. He couldn't get it to work until the fade was breached, and then he couldn't send someone back before the moment of the breach. That doesn't mean there might not be another way, but Alexius certainly had motivation during that year that the Inquisitor and Dorian skipped, and apparently couldn't overcome the limits of the method he was trying.

 

Edit: Sorry, that sounded abrupt, I'm still waking up, lol. I just am curious about who you mentioned?

[riverbanks]

My difficulties with the Blackwall relationship are the timing of the revelation because it leaves me feeling that you never get a chance to find out who he is when he isn't impersonating someone else. (...)  I think his writer did a very good job walking the line of giving you slight hints something wasn't right and definitely succeeded in writing a character who evokes strong emotional reactions. But it puts me off that you don't get a chance to unravel what was real and what was lies and actually rebuild some of the trust the reveal loses. I think those who are happy with the romance are inclined to just take his words and actions at face value while I'm more inclined to say, maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, how do you know since the romance content is pretty much over with at that point?

 

I know we've gone over Blackwall like a million times now and I'm not actually going there this time, but the topic of Solas dominating the thread again got me wondering... do you also feel the same about the Solas romance? Because I feel this paragraph could be said verbatim about Solas as well just by substituting his name, and yet no one ever raises this point when his romance is praised as the best romance in the game and whanot.

 

Just... curious.

[fontofnothing]

Have some Cullen:

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

RUN AWAY!

 

 

 

 

[LolaLei]

 

 

Ooooh, this one is stunning!

[Tishina]

I know we've gone over Blackwall like a million times now and I'm not actually going there this time, but the topic of Solas dominating the thread again got me wondering... do you also feel the same about the Solas romance? Because I feel this paragraph could be said verbatim about Solas as well just by substituting his name, and yet no one ever raises this point when his romance is praised as the best romance in the game and whanot.

 

Just... curious.

There is a difference in that Solas isn't impersonating someone else (most gods seem to have multiple names and for all we know, he may have been Solas before he was called Dread Wolf or Fen Ha'rel,) and there's actually very little reason to doubt whether he's doing or saying things to maintain a cover (in fact, he goes out of his way to say negative things about the Dalish and city elves that actually attract attention to him rather than deflecting it.) But an important difference is that Solas's romance ends without you ever finding out the truth, and that's the main reason I don't have the same objection to his. With Blackwall's, you're supposed to be starting over and rebuilding trust, yet that's apparently left to head-cannon. You never have that opportunity with Solas because you aren't starting over, so how can that be an option? Solas's is clearly unfinished, but in a way that suggests they plan to come back to it.

 

I'm pretty certain I've never said that Solas's was the best romance in the game. I would definitely put Cullen's and Cassandra's ahead of it, and possibly Dorian's. I do think it's a good romance. And in case you were wondering, your argument that Blackwall's romance doesn't feel unfinished to you is the reason I'm considering giving it a try. I may still feel that way when I'm done, but I'm willing to admit I may be missing some nuance by not playing it myself.

[blauwvis]

I feel like it would be more poignant for him to dealt with whilst we're still playing as the Inquisitor, but if his plan goes ahead (and we're to get a choice in it's outcome) then it would need to happen in the final DA game ever released.

I agree that that would be ideal, but as I understand it, they're not planning on doing a full expansion for DA:I. It feels like his story is really too big to be wrapped up in a "mere" DLC.

[LolaLei]

I agree that that would be ideal, but as I understand it, they're not planning on doing a full expansion for DA:I. It feels like his story is really too big to be wrapped up in a "mere" DLC.

 

Where did you hear that? There was an article with Mark Darrah (or was it Aaryn Flynn) where they said they had one in the works.

[riverbanks]

There is a difference in that Solas isn't impersonating someone else <snippety> You never have that opportunity with Solas because you aren't starting over, so how can that be an option? Solas's is clearly unfinished, but in a way that suggests they plan to come back to it.

 

I'm pretty certain I've never said that Solas's was the best romance in the game. I would definitely put Cullen's and Cassandra's ahead of it, and possibly Dorian's. I do think it's a good romance. And in case you were wondering, your argument that Blackwall's romance doesn't feel unfinished to you is the reason I'm considering giving it a try. I may still feel that way when I'm done, but I'm willing to admit I may be missing some nuance by not playing it myself.

 

I see, that makes sense. I ask because I actually enjoy reading through your reasonings, it's well thought out and not handwavy. I may not completely agree with the conclusion, but I respect the reasoning behind it. My actual issues with the Solas romance are beside the point anyway, I was just wondering at that bit because it really stood out how similar it sounded to how I feel about Solas in general (not just his romance), but it's rare to see him called out on it to the extent that other characters get called out for much less, so... it makes you wonder.

 

In any case! Maker, please don't base your expectations of the Blackwall romance on my stanning for him, you're going to come out on the other side disliking him even more and putting the blame on me! I personally got a lot of nuance and tone from his romance, as you know -in many ways I found his a better developed romance than Cullen, even though Cullen's is still by far my favorite romance in the game- but Blackwall is definitely not a character to identify with or a romance to respond to in the same way for everyone. I'll stan him and Sera and their romances to the death, but I fully acknowledge that they can be... acquired tastes and sometimes things just don't click.

[Narcia_]

I agree that that would be ideal, but as I understand it, they're not planning on doing a full expansion for DA:I. It feels like his story is really too big to be wrapped up in a "mere" DLC.

 

May I ask where you read that? It sounds unlikely that they would opt out of expansions on this game considering how much effort they put into developing the frostbite 3 resources. Not to mention the extremely positive reviews the game has garnered. There's certainly enough plot to build a sizeable expansion on DA:I, so I hope your information is wrong on that point

[blauwvis]

Where did you hear that? There was an article with Mark Darrah (or was it Aaryn Flynn) where they said they had one in the works.

Oh, really? That's great news! "No expansion for DA:I" was just one of those rumors I'd read so many times on the boards that I started to assume it must be true. Rather lazy of me, really.

But arrgh now I will be forced to obsessively chase down the source of that impression I had.

[LolaLei]

Oh, really? That's great news! "No expansion for DA:I" was just one of those rumors I'd read so many times on the boards that I started to assume it must be true. Rather lazy of me, really.

But arrgh now I will be forced to obsessively chase down the source of that impression I had.

Naaaaaaaw, EA are gonna wanna milk this cash cow dry, lol! I'm just having a look for the article, I can't remember which dev was interviewed, irritatingly.

[Annarl]

 

 

 

 

Ooooh, this one is stunning!

Wow, you're right that is stunning!

[riverbanks]

They did actually say they're not making expansions anymore, but "expansions" in this context means full classic expansion packs that could be almost a second game in itself, like Awakening. They're obvs still doing DLC like the other smaller campaigns and self-contained quests we got in DAO/DA2/ME, this game needs to carry the studio on its back at least until either the next Mass Effect or the mysterious new IP comes out - what they're not doing anymore is the old expansion pack model. That model's been pretty much dead for most game studios for the better half of a decade now anyway, the cost/benefit of developing a full game and selling it at half price hasn't been worth it since game distribution started moving largely from mortar-and-brick stores to digital copies. Mike had a really good post about it on Scuttlebut... once upon a time last year. I'll never find it again now, but that was his point: expansions of that size and scope have become too expensive, with not enough financial return to justify them anymore.

 

tl;dr all it means is we're not getting another Awakening for DAI, but we'll get stuff in the scope of Legacy/MotA eventually.

[LolaLei]

That's a shame, maybe it's best if Solas isn't part of these mini expansions then. It wouldn't do his story justice.

[blauwvis]

Ah, guess I wasn't wrong, then. And, yeah, that's a shame, though I understand the reason behind it.

[kalasaurus]

I didn't think elven would be much of an issue to Cullen, though obviously it isn't a relationship encouraged by the Chantry and a Dalish might have been concerned about that. I was more concerned about the absence of discussion between them regarding religious differences (in a game, ironically, exploring faith?) The Chantry definitely opposes Dalish beliefs, and the differences are not as simple as denominational. The entire belief systems are different in major ways, as well as cultures. That doesn't mean I think it would block a relationship, but you don't cross that sort of gulf between them without a little discussion to understand each other.

Fair enough.  I didn't have so much of an issue with it because my Lavellan romancing Cullen (the one in a polyamorous relationship with him and Solas) was a conversion story of sorts.  Through the events of DA: I she came to believe in the Maker in addition to the Creators (think back to Cass asking Lavellan why there isn't room for one more god among the elven pantheon).  In fact, from the very beginning after the prologue she would say "I don't know" to the existence of the Maker or her being Andraste's Herald.  By the end after everything she faced and she confronted Corypheus, she was certain the Maker was with her (and told him that).

 

I like to think that she had conversations about it with Cullen off screen.

[Adela]

I wouldn't really say  the expansions are dead at least not for other gaming companies .. there are quite a few that still does them  such as World of warcaft, starcraft, diablo  the walking dead those are just a few that come to mind

[Hellion Rex]

I don't even know who or what those are, are they from one of the books and did they actually succeed? I was just commenting on Alexius's research and what they stated in this game. He couldn't get it to work until the fade was breached, and then he couldn't send someone back before the moment of the breach. That doesn't mean there might not be another way, but Alexius certainly had motivation during that year that the Inquisitor and Dorian skipped, and apparently couldn't overcome the limits of the method he was trying.

 

Edit: Sorry, that sounded abrupt, I'm still waking up, lol. I just am curious about who you mentioned?

It's a fortress in the Western Approach that's been basically frozen in time since around the Second Blight.

[Hellion Rex]

They did actually say they're not making expansions anymore, but "expansions" in this context means full classic expansion packs that could be almost a second game in itself, like Awakening. They're obvs still doing DLC like the other smaller campaigns and self-contained quests we got in DAO/DA2/ME, this game needs to carry the studio on its back at least until either the next Mass Effect or the mysterious new IP comes out - what they're not doing anymore is the old expansion pack model. That model's been pretty much dead for most game studios for the better half of a decade now anyway, the cost/benefit of developing a full game and selling it at half price hasn't been worth it since game distribution started moving largely from mortar-and-brick stores to digital copies. Mike had a really good post about it on Scuttlebut... once upon a time last year. I'll never find it again now, but that was his point: expansions of that size and scope have become too expensive, with not enough financial return to justify them anymore.

 

tl;dr all it means is we're not getting another Awakening for DAI, but we'll get stuff in the scope of Legacy/MotA eventually.

I wouldn't mind if they did two sequential big DLCs, like Bioshock Infinite did with Burial at Sea.

[kalasaurus]

Since we're talking about Blackwall, I was a little disappointed when I brought him to the Temple of Mythal.  I read a rumor that he had a strong reaction when seeing Corypheus take the body of a Grey Warden, but it didn't happen.  He makes a comment about it afterwards in Skyhold, but I was hoping to see him react right there to what could have happened.

[riverbanks]

I wouldn't really say  the expansions are dead at least not for other gaming companies .. there are quite a few that still does them  such as World of warcaft, starcraft, diablo  the walking dead those are just a few that come to mind

 

Blizzard is a whole different animal, though. They don't make new games anymore, they literally exist to make and sell expansions nowadays. And Telltale games are also a different beast, in that they're made and distributed in episodic formats - they don't put a full game out (Origins) and then another full game on top of it (Awakening), they create and distribute as they go, with each episode showing immediate returns first before they move on to the next step. The closest I've seen to the old model in recent years was the Dragonborn DLC to Skyrim, in that it added so much content it may as well have been a side game in itself - but even then it didn't have half the content or depth of a classic expasion pack in the old days like Tribunal and Bloodmoon had for Morrowind, or Shivering Isles had for Oblivion. It was expansion-y, but not enough to earn the name.

 

Expansions are like demos these days, they had their time, but it's really easy to see why they don't work anymore. It's a natural shift of the industry, it can't sustain itself with the old models that worked back in the 90's when the audience, the market and the industry itself has changed so much. Still, I think even the smaller scope of DLC can carry its own weight too - Legacy did spawn the entire concept of Inquisition, Leviathan is pretty much mandatory content for ME3, etc. I don't know that we will get much more about Solas or anything resembling a wolf hunt, tbh, but a few solid DLCs like those could go a long way to make Inquisition feel more rounded-up.