Replaying a little bit of Origins recently, I noticed a problem with some of the (much loved, and rightly so) origin stories that I'd like to see addressed if said origin stories should, by chance, return in DA4.
The problem is that a few of the origins -- most in fact -- assume that your player character is young.
I wanted to create an older, more seasoned character with a weathered appearance and grey hair -- someone with a bit of life experience ... and it really didn't work. Many of the origins are written for characters who are in their late teens or early twenties. They have older siblings and cousins who look young, they have parents who speak to them like children and call them "pup", they have arranged marriages that will denote their passage from childhood into adulthood, etc.
The Maker knows that I have my problems with Inquisition! But I've recently realized that one of the positives of having a less-defined origin is that your inquisitor can be of any age and appearance without it breaking the story.
A problem I've noticed with Origins' origin stories.
#1
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 01:02
-
- Members
- 437 messages
- DebatableBubble, Madmoe77, coldwetn0se et 2 autres aiment ceci
Retour en haut
#2
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 01:13
-
- Members
- 718 messages
The player in the dwarven origins could be older, nearing 30 or something (in human years). But yeah, the others are definitely centered around a very young protagonist.
Still, some of the characters in Inquisition are still tend to be younger, based on their origins. The human noble & mage are the youngest children of the noble house, and their parents are still alive, so probably they are not older than 30. The elf mage is the first to a keeper, so they should be considered young too. The elf warrior/rogue could be older. The age of the dwarf and qunari inquistior is totally unrestricted.
Plus, there are also the voice actors, as none of them sound very old.
#3
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 01:44
-
- Members
- 4 807 messages
The elf mage is the first to a keeper, so they should be considered young too.
The First stays the First until the Keeper dies or otherwise becomes incapable of doing their duty, so they're not necessarily young.
- Marine0351WPNS, Patchwork et coldwetn0se aiment ceci
#4
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 02:08
-
- Members
- 718 messages
The First stays the First until the Keeper dies or otherwise becomes incapable of doing their duty, so they're not necessarily young.
Right, I haven't thought this through well enough...
#5
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 02:18
-
- Members
- 4 807 messages
Right, I haven't thought this through well enough...
It's easy to get that impression in game because every First we actually get to talk to is young. But somewhere there are probably Dalish clans where the Keeper is seventy and picked their fifty-year-old First thirty years ago.
#6
Posté 17 octobre 2015 - 03:00
-
- Members
- 2 095 messages
Personally, I'd prefer them to go the ME route, where you get to set a couple of key backstory points to establish a history, but leaving it open enough for people to RP into.
- Madmoe77, Annos Basin, RenAdaar et 1 autre aiment ceci
#7
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 02:45
-
- Members
- 7 695 messages
I think I remember them saying they were never going to do origins again. 
#8
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 03:18
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
Plus, there are also the voice actors, as none of them sound very old.
You think? I didn't really think any of the voices sounded particularly young.
It's easy to get that impression in game because every First we actually get to talk to is young. But somewhere there are probably Dalish clans where the Keeper is seventy and picked their fifty-year-old First thirty years ago.
Keeper Hawen looks pretty old 
I think I remember them saying they were never going to do origins again.
That would be sort of a dumb thing to say, and dumber to rule out. I mean, if they don't ever have Origins again because they don't think it would fit, I'd be disappointed, but so be it. But to plan on never having them? Silly.
#9
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 03:22
-
- Members
- 4 068 messages
Origins had their day back in DAO, they are no longer appropriate in the DA series unless they depart from the current storyline and go way off to somewhere we have never been or heard of, and is totally different. Another origins type story would be great for the beginning of a new series though.
#10
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 04:50
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
Origins had their day back in DAO, they are no longer appropriate in the DA series unless they depart from the current storyline and go way off to somewhere we have never been or heard of, and is totally different. Another origins type story would be great for the beginning of a new series though.
How do you figure? 
- vbibbi, Adam Revlan, ComedicSociopathy et 1 autre aiment ceci
#11
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 12:27
-
- Members
- 1 068 messages
Not entirely sure but my first Warden was very old, I even chose the old voice and I felt like he was always referenced as being older. Could it have been the voice that triggers this or is this just my delusion?
#12
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 05:10
-
- Members
- 13 233 messages
Origins had their day back in DAO, they are no longer appropriate in the DA series unless they depart from the current storyline and go way off to somewhere we have never been or heard of, and is totally different. Another origins type story would be great for the beginning of a new series though.
I don't think so. Origins in the style of a DAO may not come back, but some form of background specific prologue, even if much reduced in scope, isn't out of the question. They could help introduce the new physical setting, acclimating the player to Tevinter for instance.
- Shechinah, Cobra's_back, drummerchick et 3 autres aiment ceci
#13
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 07:08
-
- Banned
- 3 801 messages
That doesn't mean it has to be the case in a future Origin. You could just as easily write an Origin where the protagonist is a widow/widower who is pulled out of retirement to battle the big bad. The main limitation is that whatever Origin they do will set an approximate default age for the protagonist.
Personally, I'd prefer them to go the ME route, where you get to set a couple of key backstory points to establish a history, but leaving it open enough for people to RP into.
No. No. No. I would play Skyrim if I wanted for my background to be ambiguous.
- Heimdall, vbibbi et Adam Revlan aiment ceci
#14
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 07:41
-
- Members
- 4 068 messages
How do you figure?
The whole idea behind the different "Origins" was to extend game play and more importantly, re-play, since, they developed DA Origins as a one-off game that was never intended to have a sequel (or a series). The epilogue slides were their attempt to wrap things up enough that players would have some semblance of closure (I am NOT saying they succeeded). Now that a series is in full swing, they would waste resources and story development trying to re-explain every new protagonists race in every new game in the series. From listening to the various interviews with the developers, it's obvious they are not interested in doing that.
I don't think so. Origins in the style of a DAO may not come back, but some form of background specific prologue, even if much reduced in scope, isn't out of the question. They could help introduce the new physical setting, acclimating the player to Tevinter for instance.
They might, but it will never be like they were in Origins, at least not in Dragon Age. I can fully see something like the origins in DAO to ring in the new IP, a very good way to introduce the player to playable races/classes. Since we no longer need introductions to races and classes in Dragon Age, it just doesn't make any sense to go back that far in future episodes that continue the story as we know it.
#15
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 07:49
-
- Members
- 35 666 messages
Delusion. I don't think there's even a scripting function to ask for what soundset the PC is using.Not entirely sure but my first Warden was very old, I even chose the old voice and I felt like he was always referenced as being older. Could it have been the voice that triggers this or is this just my delusion?
#16
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 09:39
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
The whole idea behind the different "Origins" was to extend game play and more importantly, re-play, since, they developed DA Origins as a one-off game that was never intended to have a sequel (or a series). The epilogue slides were their attempt to wrap things up enough that players would have some semblance of closure (I am NOT saying they succeeded). Now that a series is in full swing, they would waste resources and story development trying to re-explain every new protagonists race in every new game in the series. From listening to the various interviews with the developers, it's obvious they are not interested in doing that.
They might, but it will never be like they were in Origins, at least not in Dragon Age. I can fully see something like the origins in DAO to ring in the new IP, a very good way to introduce the player to playable races/classes. Since we no longer need introductions to races and classes in Dragon Age, it just doesn't make any sense to go back that far in future episodes that continue the story as we know it.
You're assuming the only benefit of an origin is to teach the player about a race or class. It is not. A good, playable background can do a lot more for a game than that, and there is no reason they couldn't do something like that again, even if it's not as in-depth.
- vbibbi, tehturian, Bhryaen et 2 autres aiment ceci
#17
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 09:49
-
- Members
- 34 128 messages
You're assuming the only benefit of an origin is to teach the player about a race or class. It is not. A good, playable background can do a lot more for a game than that, and there is no reason they couldn't do something like that again, even if it's not as in-depth.
Well Bioware was considering making the Peace Summit playable but choose not to so they can keep the mystery of the Mark and the Inquisitor's amnesia
#18
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 09:53
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
Well Bioware was considering making the Peace Summit playable but choose not to so they can keep the mystery of the Mark
At least they had a reason, even if I think it's not the best. Exploring the Conclave, eventually hearing someone calling for help, pressing a button to open a door, then having the game play out exactly as it does (big explosion, escape from the fade) wouldn't take away from the mystery at all.
- vbibbi et Patchwork aiment ceci
#19
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 09:55
-
- Members
- 34 128 messages
At least they had a reason, even if I think it's not the best. Exploring the Conclave, eventually hearing someone calling for help, pressing a button to open a door, then having the game play out exactly as it does (big explosion, escape from the fade) wouldn't take away from the mystery at all.
I forgot to add the short memory lost the Inquisitor had to my last post too sorry
#20
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:01
-
- Members
- 13 233 messages
Well Bioware was considering making the Peace Summit playable but choose not to so they can keep the mystery of the Mark and the Inquisitor's amnesia
I still think that's a bit of a weak excuse. They could have just cut to an exterior view of the temple just before it explodes, just as the inquisitor rounds a corner inside.
- vbibbi aime ceci
#21
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:04
-
- Members
- 34 128 messages
I still think that's a bit of a weak excuse. They could have just cut to an exterior view of the temple just before it explodes, just as the inquisitor rounds a corner inside.
I agree, I do think a playable Summit and the mystery of the Mark could've worked
But there probably other factors involved with that choice
#22
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:04
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
I forgot to add the short memory lost the Inquisitor had to my last post too sorry
Well, the amnesia was only relevant to the ritual scene, and for all we know could have only extended that far anyway, so they could have still made the rest playable. Come to think of it, the game confirms that the amnesia only covered that scene in HLtA.
I still think that's a bit of a weak excuse. They could have just cut to an exterior view of the temple just before it explodes, just as the inquisitor rounds a corner inside.
That's what I was thinking too, I agree. They could have simply used the scene that's already in the menu but let us play for a bit beforehand.
- Bhryaen aime ceci
#23
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:07
-
- Members
- 2 241 messages
Bioware can easily change this by allowing the player to choose between a young and a mature PC in the character creation screen.
Change key lines in dialogs and there you have it.
#24
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:11
-
- Members
- 11 248 messages
Bioware can easily change this by allowing the player to choose between a young and a mature PC in the character creation screen.
Change key lines in dialogs and there you have it.
Wouldn't it be easier to just pick your age? I have trouble seeing a system like that work correctly. Where is the line between "mature" and "young"? What if you look older/younger than you are?
#25
Posté 18 octobre 2015 - 10:26
-
- Members
- 2 241 messages
Wouldn't it be easier to just pick your age? I have trouble seeing a system like that work correctly. Where is the line between "mature" and "young"? What if you look older/younger than you are?
If they were to give us the option of choosing an age, they would still need to reshape the entire game so as to make all dialogs, cutscenes and other events when there's interaction with our PC to correspond to our age.
The company would never spend resources on doing something as expensive and time consuming as this. Bioware would do what companies traditionally do and record at most three different ways that all the content in the game can play -probably for a teenager, a young adult and a middle-aged person-, no matter what age you picked.
