65 réponses à ce sujet

[Feybrad]

So, everyone's posting about what's bothering them most, might as well do the same.

 

I am young. I am completely willing to admit that I'm barely adult in my own Country and wouldn't be allowed to drink Beer in America. I usually connect more with People and Characters from around my Age or at a similar Point in their Lives. This is only natural, I think.

 

So, what I'm worried about after DA:I is not the Way, Exploration and Sidequests are approached, pff, who cares about that anyway? I am worried that I as a Player from a younger Demographic will have increasingly few Characters to connect myself to on a not quite rational Basis. I rolepayed a Templar-Supporter in DA2 on my first Playtrough, yet still grew incredibly fond of Merrill as I felt like she was going trough similar Things that I worried about in real Life (i.e. leaving Home to a strange, new Life in the broadest Sense). In DA:I, however, the central Cast was assumed to be rather old, the average Age of the inner Circle was much higher (if I had to guess, mid-Thirties) and the Inquisitor was treated the same Way, making it hard for me to connect to them, some harder than others.

 

So what I wish for in ME:A is not that the central Cast should be made up completely out of Teenagers, but that the Ages amongst the Characters may be far more varied than in previous Games - we should be able to have both grizzled Veterans and naive Newcomers on our Crew. Sadly, the last Game I have seen anything like these more differing Ages was KotoR, where Mission was 14 Years old (if I remember that correctly). Since then, the general Age (or Phase in Life) of the Casts has continued to climb upwards, with the occasionaly thousand Year old Krogan / Spirit thrown into the Mix.

 

What do you think about this?

Do you find Age or Phase in Life an important Point regarding Connection and Appreciation with/of a Character?

Are you okay with a generally same Age Frame for a central Cast or would you like to see more Diversity?

 

I am interested in your Opinions.

[Metalfros]

Nope, I play games with good stories since I was like 13, now 4 years older. Always have been more mature beyond my age, and guess that's why I can compare myself more easily with adults in game. I am already past the issues you mentioned, like with Merill. But may I ask your age?

[daveliam]

I think a range of ages is appropriate, but it has to make sense for the story in some ways.  Most of the characters are bound to be older given the content of the games.  To be honest, it's what I enjoy about Bioware games.  I'm not interested in 'teenager saves the world' stories anymore. 

 

I'm not sure why you think that that the last game with a range of ages was KOTOR, though.

 

In ME:  Tali is the equivalent of late teen.  Liara is a young adult (so young that she's embarrassed of her age).  The human soldiers (including Shep) are mid-20's to about 30.  Wrex is the veteran.  Garrus' age isn't know, right?

 

ME2 had the same kind of range, just with Tali being two years older and the range extending up to Zaeed and Samara, who are middle aged.

 

In ME3, the range actually skewed lower since the 'veteran' at that point was Garrus or Ashley/Kaidan.   

[Metalfros]

I think a range of ages is appropriate, but it has to make sense for the story in some ways.  Most of the characters are bound to be older given the content of the games.

 

I'm not sure why you think that that the last game with a range of ages was KOTOR, though.

 

In ME:  Tali is the equivalent of late teen.  Liara is a young adult (so young that she's embarrassed of her age).  The human soldiers (including Shep) are mid-20's to about 30.  Wrex is the veteran.  Garrus' age isn't know, right?

 

ME2 had the same kind of range, just with Tali being two years older and the range extending up to Zaeed and Samara, who are middle aged.

 

In ME3, the range actually skewed lower since the 'veteran' at that point was Garrus or Ashley/Kaidan.   

 

Garrus and Shepard are experience wise mid 30s I guess. Liara is like 18 in human years it seems.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

So, what I'm worried about after DA:I is not the Way, Exploration and Sidequests are approached, pff, who cares about that anyway? I am worried that I as a Player from a younger Demographic will have increasingly few Characters to connect myself to on a not quite rational Basis. I rolepayed a Templar-Supporter in DA2 on my first Playtrough, yet still grew incredibly fond of Merrill as I felt like she was going trough similar Things that I worried about in real Life (i.e. leaving Home to a strange, new Life in the broadest Sense). In DA:I, however, the central Cast was assumed to be rather old, the average Age of the inner Circle was much higher (if I had to guess, mid-Thirties) and the Inquisitor was treated the same Way, making it hard for me to connect to them, some harder than others.

There were quite a few young people in DAI. Cole appears as a 20 year old, Sera is in her early twenties, Dorian could be in his mid to late twenties, and Josephine is between 27 and 29 according to her writer. That's 4 of the 12 followers in their twenties. Also the Inquisitor is in an undetermined age range of 20-40.

[Dabrikishaw]

I like mid to late 20's here.

[The Sauce of Awesome]

The protag and every single companion in ME:A are all angsty teenagers aged 16-18!

[Feybrad]

The protag and every single companion in ME:A are all angsty teenagers aged 16-18!

 

You see, that's not what I want. I'm not that stupid.

 

However, I would like to maybe have one or two completely not angsty Teenagers amongst the Crew, for I think the Perspective would certainly be interesting, just as interesting as that of a world-weary Veteran would be. I'm asking for Diversity amongst Age Groups to give more People Characters to connect to.

 

There were quite a few young people in DAI. Cole appears as a 20 year old, Sera is in her early twenties, Dorian could be in his mid to late twenties, and Josephine is between 27 and 29 according to her writer. That's 4 of the 12 followers in their twenties. Also the Inquisitor is in an undetermined age range of 20-40.

 

You see, the Fact that mid-to-late Twenties is counted as "young" should speak for itself. Because that's still 5-10 Years away from my Age. You listed the Characters I connected the most with, especially Cole, who was wonderful and underutilized. All the others, even awesome People like Bull or Vivienne I grew tired with at some Point. The average Age shifted far upwards with DA:I and I would like it more on Levels like DA:O, DA2 or ME1, which handled this Diversity best.

[TheTurtle]

I like the 20s to mid 30s thing that most of the Normandy crew had going on.

[Queen Skadi]

I like em grizzled, old and experienced, like an old bear covered in scars that refuses to die.

[The Sauce of Awesome]

You see, that's not what I want. I'm not that stupid.

 

However, I would like to maybe have one or two completely not angsty Teenagers amongst the Crew, for I think the Perspective would certainly be interesting, just as interesting as that of a world-weary Veteran would be. I'm asking for Diversity amongst Age Groups to give more People Characters to connect to.

 

I never said you were stupid. But I do have to ask, and I apologise if I come across as a jerk when I do, but... Why in the blue hell would you want children as part of the crew of a (potentially) military vessel on a dangerous voyage?! And that's what these hypothetical teenagers would be - children - compared to the rest of the crew.

 

Sure, have an inexperienced crew member or two aboard, Samantha Traynor was one such inexperienced crew member and she was a wonderful character IMO...but teenagers?

 

This is Mass Effect, not Final Fantasy!

[KaiserShep]

I like em grizzled, old and experienced, like an old bear covered in scars that refuses to die.

 

Oh Zaeed, you were too much of a beautiful son of a ***** for this universe.

 

[Quarian Master Race]

I think the original struck a good balance. You had everyone from Tali at 22-25 and Liara (106 IIRC but basically grad school age), up to grizzled veterans like Zaeed and Wrex, with the mean age and PC around 30. Gives everyone in the targeted age bracket characters to relate to.

[Torgette]

I like the 20s to mid 30s thing that most of the Normandy crew had going on.

 

Same, but i'm also that same age group so I may be biased.

[sjsharp2011]

I like mid to late 20's here.

Yeah I tend to roleplay my characters about mid 20's to early 30's really. But depends on what i am going for with them in terms of roleplaying. I tend to play my female characters on the younger side because. I've always used the influence of TV shows like Buffy or Charmed to create my heroines for these sorts of games. With male ones i tend to be more open though.

[Feybrad]

I never said you were stupid. But I do have to ask, and I apologise if I come across as a jerk when I do, but... Why in the blue hell would you want children as part of the crew of a (potentially) military vessel on a dangerous voyage?! And that's what these hypothetical teenagers would be - children - compared to the rest of the crew.

 

Sure, have an inexperienced crew member or two aboard, Samantha Traynor was one such inexperienced crew member and she was a wonderful character IMO...but teenagers?

 

This is Mass Effect, not Final Fantasy!

 

Never played Final Fantasy, can't stand those Hairstyles and generally that Anime Style. Can't comment on that.

 

Well, it depends on what the Circumstances are with which we arrive in Andromeda, obviously. I agree, aboard a Military Vessel a Child (if you would call a teenager of say, 17 - 20 Years a Child - because seriously, in every Sense but the legal One People of that Age usually aren't Adults) would be misplaced. However, if we go to Andromeda as an Escape from the Reapers (what personally find believable) or even as simple Settlers and Colonist, in Short, Civilians of any Sort, then I see no Problem with having then on Board, especially if they are as capable as a Companion has to be. And even on a military Vessel, they could be a young Recruit that has been assigned to the Mission maybe even because of them being promising and capable. But I would personally find the Angle of a civilian Ship more fitting in those Cases.

[Blackout62]

I want to ride this 30-something video game characters train into my 40s so all you young wipper-snappers better take a back seat for the next 20 years.

[Panda]

I'm 22 myself, have played BW's games since I was 18. And I haven't felt that ME and DA have too old characters for me to connect/appreciate. Usually there is some relatively younger characters around like Alistair, Merrill, Sera and Liara. All around early 20s I believe. I guess there could be characters who are around 18-20, but I don't personally think it's needed.

[PhroXenGold]

The only time I want to see kids, or even teenagers short of the very top of that age group, in a military themed story, is when I've wandered into a deconstruction.

[Nayawk]

I agree that teenagers on a military ship seems very unlikely, especially something like the Normandy, which would have been a choice assignment that had a hand picked experienced crew.  But I did like that they found a way around that in ME1-3 by having the non-human characters fill the 'youthful/naive' group roles. 

 

I have no really problem with the age of companions as long as it can sensibly be justified within the story and a good mix from late teen to grizzly would be ideal. That said I draw the line at actual children. 

 

All that said I can see why late 20's / mid 30's is the age range most game set protags and companions to.   The average age of 'gamers' has been rising for years and some companies will always follow the demographic.

[N7Jamaican]

I want a wide range in ages.  From young and reckless to old and wise.  I thought the cast from ME3 balanced it out.  I thought Wrex was old and wise, saw the error of his people.  I thought Grunt was young and well.. reckless.  I liked that.  Hopefully the cast in ME:A is the same way.

[Broganisity]

Typically speaking most human combat personnel would be in their prime, roughly around mid-twenties to their thirties and possibly upwards and into the fourties. Unexperienced would be anywhere from eighteen to early-twenties. This all on the assumption that they were recruited early on in their lives, while mercenaries of all kinds could range to a wider variety of ages.

An Asari-age equivalent would be in their maiden period, which starts somewhere during an Asari's puberty stage (estimated around their fourties, which is when most grown Ardat-Yakshi are discovered/detected.). The Maiden period is often depicted as anxious and many sell themselves out as mercenaries or exotic dancers. This period lasts until they are around three-hundred and fifty years of age, but naturally fluxuates based on the individual. The following period, the Matron period, lasts until they are around seven hundred, and from there the Matriarch stage.

We do not have any information on how long Batarians or Drell live (barring complications from Mook's Disease in the former and Kepral's Syndrome in the later.) but we can assume for the sake of simplicity that they share a similar Age range with humans.

Krogan. . .? We don't have exact ranges, but know they take part in a coming-of-age ceremony and live upwards into a thousand years barring death by fatalism.

Turians live to around the same age as humans, if the wiki and its citation are to be believed. They serve their military from around Fifteen to Thirty starting younger than humans.

Salarians live to around forty years. Mordin mentions that his nephew earned tenure at a university at the age of sixteen, which is an accomplishment for someone at his age (young) I would assume.

. . .why did I type all this up?

[Battlebloodmage]

Let's make it like Japanese dating sims and have all the LI to be 14 years old girls. 

[laudable11]

Question. Would it be okay to have small children or teenagers on the Ark?

I think it would make sense if we're trying to save humanity.

Kinda unrelated to the subject put forth by op..

[The Elder King]

I'd like an age range, but I'm fine either way. My favorite character in the trilogy is a thousand-year old krogan.