37 réponses à ce sujet

[Linkenski]

First and foremost I appreciate any lore for being consistent and being important for the plot, and just to pre-face I'm not hating on the lore, in fact I love it.

However, as someone who was a lore-geek in Mass Effect because I liked its exploration of sci-fi themes, I never really enjoyed medieval fantasy stories on more than a casually invested level. I don't find Dragon Age to be mere entertainment, but I find it hard to care deeply for all the meddling in politics and factional lore. I simply love the characters, they are the main driving force for me.

But did anyone else who were not completely absorbed in the lore beforehand feel a bit lost in DA:I?

So many titles and names of countries, kingdoms, gods and factions get thrown around left and right, and even with all the investigative options I felt that because a lot of these things were often found only in text or otherwise where on the periphery - not something we directly interfere with - that I get confused and as a result a lot of the plot seems rather... 'vague' for the lack of a better term?

[Navasha]

I am pretty absorbed into the lore of the world, but there were a few times in Halamshiral where I felt out of sorts.    So much of those characters seem to have been developed in the books and then tossed into the game world, like we should somehow know them.     Other than that I was pretty comfortable with the country names and such. 

 

The game doesn't make it very clear that you should open up the actual codex in the journal from time to time.   So much content is added there that you don't see much indication of on the screen during the game.

[tehturian]

I think one thing Bioware almost certainly did right in DAI was make the lore more interesting. DAO felt like standard Tolkien fair while DA2 failed to capitalize on the new elements of lore they introduced. However in DAI some of the little tidbits of codex we find as well as the business with the Elven/Old gods has really added a unique stamp to the Dragon Age franchise imo. 

 

Not quite Elder Scrolls but getting there. 

[IanPolaris]

It doesn't help that much of the critical lore seems to be written in pencil.

[Linkenski]

Everytime I hear about something I didn't understand in a game originating from some external piece of storytelling like novels or comics, a part of me dies inside.

Stop doing that Bioware. It leaves a terrible impression for those who haven't bothered reading external parts of the game story. Not to mention, it ruined Halo 4 IMO.

[Icy Magebane]

I am pretty absorbed into the lore of the world, but there were a few times in Halamshiral where I felt out of sorts.    So much of those characters seem to have been developed in the books and then tossed into the game world, like we should somehow know them.     Other than that I was pretty comfortable with the country names and such. 

 

The game doesn't make it very clear that you should open up the actual codex in the journal from time to time.   So much content is added there that you don't see much indication of on the screen during the game.

This is exactly how I felt... I am well versed in DA lore, but I have never read any of the novels.  Approaching the game form that perspective, I felt that the characters that came from those books were not properly introduced in-game.  The key NPCs in Emprise du Lion, for example, seemed to have been major players elsewhere, but their brief cameos in-game fell flat for somebody who had only a vague idea of who they were and what they'd done in the past.  I imagine it would be even more underwhelming for someone who had no previous exposure to them.

[NaclynE]

I am so far pretty knowledgeable with the lore and what took place and when in each game and have watched the anime where Cassandra was the main character in that. I just completely forgot that final battle she had in Val Riyoux against that dragon to save that high chantry person there.

 

As for a few other things it does seem that things still have been consistent from DAO/DAA to DAI even though I am still mad about the whole "Qun" thing which to me got botched up from DAO/DAA to DA 2 where I swear is a race (Iron Bull, Sten) and not a clan thing. They pretty much implied that the Qun in DA2 is a clan thing where there are non Sten/Iron Bull oriented people among that group like that elf guy in DAI and Tallis from the DA 2 DLC. All i can say is at least they kept the whole "Qunari" as a race but I swear Tallis did mention she was one too when she's an elf. *scratches head*. At least the whole rules as far as the qunari with the Tal Vashoth has stayed the same and the demands for baked goods.

[FreshRevenge]

Anyway about the lore. I never felt the lore was that hard to comprehend. Especially that I have spent so many hours playing the previous games. I did notice that they introduce new concepts which is fine. As long as it grounded within the game world of Dragon Age.

[AzureAardvark]

It doesn't help that much of the critical lore seems to be written in pencil crayon.

>.>

<.<

[Lucky Thirteen]

I'm not huge into the lore, never been a huge fantasy fan, but I had a comfortable enough knowledge to know what was going on and not feel lost. I didn't read the books or the comics, so the characters from the expanded universe didn't really bug me too much. Except Fiona and the whole cured of the taint thing. What the hell? Has the HOF at least interviewed her to try to analyse what happened and theorize a possible cure? I did see Dawn of the Seeker, didn't like it too much, but it was cool to hear a reference to the movie in the game from Cassandra.

 

The times I felt actually lost was frequently after spending several hours messing around in the fields, and then trying to get back into the story. Like I've said in many other posts, 80hrs into the game, a random NPC said out in the field that the Inquisitor had stopped the mage-templar war and I was completely confused as to when that had happened. I think that's the thing that hurts everything the most for me.

[NoForgiveness]

I was good with most of the game. Halamshiral really bugged me though. The game doesn't give much information about any of the characters. I'm honestly not sure how players who haven't read tme are supposed to make the decision with the same surety as the anora/Alistair choice. Especially Briala. I ended up just throwing her under the bus with Gaspard just to get rid of her.

[veeia]

Even reading the novels doesn't help with Halamshiral, tbh, except to make you disappointed with how it played out because the characters in the book were so much better developed and interesting . So many good ideas in that quest, I especially like how it's not combat focused at all and you can skip the big battle, but the execution was sloppy as heck.

[Giantdeathrobot]

The only part where I felt that is Halamshiral. They really should have spent more time developping those characters, by having us meet them first (In Val Royeaux?). Instead it does feel like they drop us in the middle of the Game and we're already supposed to know who's who in Orlais. Which most players don't.

[AzureAardvark]

The only part where I felt that is Halamshiral. They really should have spent more time developping those characters, by having us meet them first (In Val Royeaux?). Instead it does feel like they drop us in the middle of the Game and we're already supposed to know who's who in Orlais. Which most players don't.

 

Perhaps oddly, that's the quest where I felt the least ... culture shock?

 

1) Make sure there's an absolute monarch who's in my debt

2) Look good doing it

3) <james bond theme>

4) Profit

 

?

[NaclynE]

Varric: Same trustworthly sidekick as ever.

Cassandra: More human than she appeared in Dragon Age 2.

Dorian: Not my picture of what a Tevinter would look like but still has a charm about him that makes him a worthy companion.

Sera: I thought she would be some sort of rebel and partially she is but she has a  twisted sense about nobility and feels that they should all be punished.

Vivienne: Her morality is based on her political agenda. I can't stand that about her. Can't  tell if she is being genuinely concern or using others misfortunes to her aid in gaining what she wants.

Iron Bull: Is not what I expected from a Qunari. He might as well been a human. His is a cool character none the less. But I was really hoping for a true Qunari.

Solas: appears to be wise about the fade but at times he did come as being arrogant. Yet his role in the game seemed to carry more weight.

Morrigan: Still love her. Her having Kieran has changed her. But she still has that sassiness to her.

Flemeth: Still mysterious as ever, even considering who she has inside her.

Cullen: Has grown up from the first time you see him in the Circle of Fereldan.

Liliana: Seems more distant and cold at times. Especially if you ask her about stories, she refers you to the library as a snide remark.

Josephine: She is very likable in her role. I think one of these playthroughs, I will try romancing her.

Cole:Didn't know what to expect from Cole but his willingness to help people made me like him more. While some would call him a demon like Vivienne (Sometimes I thought Vivienne acted like a demon).

Blackwall: His reveal really took me my surprise and I thought he was a true warden and so it is disappointing in that respect. Yet he tries to be a better man over the actions of his life.

 

Well to me Varric hasn't changed much.

 

I do agree Cassandra became more open than how she was in DA 2. However what opened my eyes to her was the DA anime where as she said in DAI she was a bit young and over zelous but learned from that. She admits like how she still makes over-zelous decisions like in DA 2 where she didn't explain everything to Verric and probably should of.

 

I do like Dorian and I do agree he and Krem seem to say Tavinter is the suck as far as "rules" go. I honestly haven't followed to much of the lore for them other than there more or less "magic based"? I still wonder about Weissurupt though.....Been main talk in DAO yet haven't been there yet. Anyhoo...

 

Sera is always fun taking along. why the skin color change is still beyond me. Different subject altogether, anyhoo.....

 

Vivianne wooshed me at the end. I thought she like everyone else was trying to politically help me out but she turned out to politically me and herself out even though in the long run after I thought about it is to help me out more than her while she is to be a figurehead so to speak wether my character may like it or not.

 

I do agree Iron Bull was different from Sten. Iron Bull is way more laid back and yeah he mine as well be human and not be like that Tal Vashoth Qunari in DA 2.

 

Since I played pro templar Solas became and ended the game like a jerk turning villin.  

 

Morrigan is more compassionate now. I agree with Liliana that she semi changed.

 

Flemeth is typical Flemeth. Ending still puzzled me.

 

To me Cullen's evolution is about what you did with him in DAO. If he slaughtered the mages in DAO but romances your mage in DAI then yeah major evolution points to him. If you sided with the mages in DAO then it seems like not much of a storyline for him since all it was was some crazy lunatic mage guy going crazy with mages and killed templars in DAO to DA 2 to DAI.

 

I agree Liliana became cold because "she needed to become cold" as she quotes herself. After seeing her history from DAO and her DLC in DAO (Liliana's Song) i'm kind of not surprised. Joined assassin group, romanced female boss, female boss dumps her for a guy within group, almost has her killed, rescued/captured by chantry, given new path, becomes part of chantry, digs up assassin self with hero group, does assassin stuff with hero group, determines former lovers fate, wants to be a hero assassin for chantry.

 

I like Josephine myself. I swear she was in the Tallis  DLC briefly. I guess they made her an actual important character in DAI. Anyhoo I want to try to romance her too. It seems like maybe male only.

 

Cole is Persona 4's answer to teddy....well I made him human.....*ahem*

 

Blackwall reminds me to much of me on a personal level which is why I cannot hate the guy. Sure ok he lied about being "The Blackwall" but I say accept him for the fact that he's part of your group and he does good in your group. F what he did in the past.

[teh DRUMPf!!]

 ^ wrong thread!

[line_genrou]

First and foremost I appreciate any lore for being consistent and being important for the plot, and just to pre-face I'm not hating on the lore, in fact I love it.

However, as someone who was a lore-geek in Mass Effect because I liked its exploration of sci-fi themes, I never really enjoyed medieval fantasy stories on more than a casually invested level. I don't find Dragon Age to be mere entertainment, but I find it hard to care deeply for all the meddling in politics and factional lore. I simply love the characters, they are the main driving force for me.

But did anyone else who were not completely absorbed in the lore beforehand feel a bit lost in DA:I?

So many titles and names of countries, kingdoms, gods and factions get thrown around left and right, and even with all the investigative options I felt that because a lot of these things were often found only in text or otherwise where on the periphery - not something we directly interfere with - that I get confused and as a result a lot of the plot seems rather... 'vague' for the lack of a better term?

Hell I played the other two and was kinda bombarded with info about all those Elven gods. But I gotta admit I didn't read any of the codex in DA:O, I don't know if they mentioned the elven gods

But anyway, what I did was to read all the codex I collected from this game. It helped a lot.

I think the only thing that really makes me confused is the elven gods. Their names, what they meant etc etc

 

If this game is someone's first DA they must be completely clueless.

[line_genrou]

I am pretty absorbed into the lore of the world, but there were a few times in Halamshiral where I felt out of sorts.    So much of those characters seem to have been developed in the books and then tossed into the game world, like we should somehow know them.     Other than that I was pretty comfortable with the country names and such. 

 

The game doesn't make it very clear that you should open up the actual codex in the journal from time to time.   So much content is added there that you don't see much indication of on the screen during the game.

 What really really bothered me is that you have to search each god damn codex page from a total of maybe 200 to read the last one you got

In DA:O you could just click on the side of the screen when a notice came up about a new codex collected

[SwobyJ]

Not really. I think I understand it enough. At least, I have a certain vision of it that seems to make sense to me...

 

 

 

EDIT: Also, I come from a place where I barely played DAO at first, and only fully went through DAO and DA2 and its DLC late last year due to DAI. However, I did spend some time on the DA Wiki and I do have a penchant for grasping the gist of a fictional world once I feel attached to it. I may not know every detail released about Rivain, for example, but I do get its overall feeling and how it basically relates to other nations and characters.

Mass Effect has less of that, but I personally find that to be one of the things I like least about that series. I actually hope that 'ME4' brings a lot more exploration and detail on regions and planets and lore that was largely ignored due to the struggle against imminent Reaper invasion.

[SwobyJ]

Everytime I hear about something I didn't understand in a game originating from some external piece of storytelling like novels or comics, a part of me dies inside.

Stop doing that Bioware. It leaves a terrible impression for those who haven't bothered reading external parts of the game story. Not to mention, it ruined Halo 4 IMO.

 

I have to agree with this.

 

There's a difference between external media enriching an IP, and miring it in confusion. I don't see what writers/etc see in doing this kind of thing.. its annoying and gross.

[Giantdeathrobot]

Perhaps oddly, that's the quest where I felt the least ... culture shock?

 

1) Make sure there's an absolute monarch who's in my debt

2) Look good doing it

3) <james bond theme>

4) Profit

 

?

 

It was just like in good old Ferelden, I suppose.

[FreshRevenge]

 ^ wrong thread!

 

I was wondering why my post wasn't showing up in the other one. I will fix that

[errantknight]

Well, I've always paid attention to the lore, so not feeling lost, but I like it that we're discovering it just as our characters are. It's an interesting mystery. One thing I can advise...read the codex entries each and every time you get one. They're always informative and sometimes entertaining. They were more fun in Origins than they are now, but they're still pretty good reading

[Ieldra]

I'm one of those already deeply immersed into the lore before I even started DAI. However, I don't think I've ever felt overwhelmed by a story's lore. Why? Because exploring the world and getting to know how it works is one of the main reasons I like fantasy and SF stories. Also, I've made a few worlds for my tabletop roleplaying campaigns so I'm rather familiar with the complexity of these matters.

 

So, bring it on. The more, the better. These things will become more complex as the world gets more defined through sequels and books, and while it will always be possible to play the games and understand their stories without paying much attention to the lore, it adds a dimension without which the games would have much less appeal.

 

As for characters from the books appearing or being mentioned, that's pretty much the same as characters from past games appearing or being mentioned. In almost all cases, their role is explained satisfactorily. Anyway, the tapestry of stories that makes up Dragon Age consists of all the publications. It is appropriate to connect them where plausible.

[omgodzilla]

I never really liked the codex in Dragon Age. I preferred the encyclopedia system of Mass Effect that explained everything in a standardized way instead of the Dragon Age system where you have a bunch of codex entries with excerpts from different sources and so on. The fact that the ME codex has voice acting is also a big plus.