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Dragon Age 4: Thoughts on a Dual Protagonist Storyline for DA4 – Mechanics.

 

This is a refined continuation and "final" draft of my "Take 2 - Dumb Ideas for a Dual PC Storyline in DA4" thread, so I apologize ahead of time ... again, but damned if this isn't going to be one hell of a wall of text.  I have a ton of content to get through ... because I'm obsessive.  Starting with mechanic issues facing this "Fan Fiction Game Design" (for that is what it really is) and then moving on to the story itself, I'll post these aspects in pieces over a period of a week or two, because it is simply turned out so long its impractical to post it all at once.  Regardless I do hope people enjoy it and comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.  Thank you for your time!

 

Allow me to start by saying that to me this is a side project, nothing  more, that was spawned from the creativity that Dragon Age: Inquisition and its predecessors sparked with their storytelling, characters and world.  This is a distraction that I've been toying with when I need a break from the bundles of homework that is my consume my normal day to day.  A compilation of ideas that represent a composite of not only what I would like to see from the next installment of the Dragon Age franchise and elements that I truly appreciated in the previous games that I feel should be revisited and refined for the next.  It is also important for me to say that this is project, at its core, is an attempt to find a way for two protagonists to work in what is essentially a "choose your own adventure" style game series, because there is so much that I believe that can be achieved from such a system if such a system could be made to work.  "Trespasser" served to enhance Inquisition in such a way that for the first time in the world of Thedas I truly do want to see a PC return as playable for one more game, yet at the same time the prospect of finally visiting Tevinter is too much of an enticement to abandon the idea of getting to explore that setting with a new PC.

 

I personally feel that if Solas returns as an Antagonist then it should be the Inquisitor that gets to deal with him.  If the Inquisitor gets to deal with him, then they should be playable.  If they are playable, then they should have enough time within the game to allow for returning players to redefine who they are as a character and at the same time give new players the time to choose who they are for the very first time.  If we are indeed going to such a rich environment like Tevinter, then that setting and players would benefit the most from a PC that is involved in the world.  A new PC has the ability to connect a player to a setting far more than a returning PC who is not a local could ever hope to, plus the ability to create a character from scratch is where so much of the charm of a Dragon Age game comes from after all.  They both have a huge amount of potential for storytelling and both have strengths and weaknesses in creating those stories and I honestly feel it would be a bit of a shame to have to sacrifice one for the other.  So this is my desperate attempt to rationalize in my head how to create a situation that would warrant both, by creating a game that is "relatively" balanced between two protagonists and their two corresponding stories that slowly but surely intertwine as the game progresses.

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Story Basics:

 

While this will be discussed at length later in the actual story section I figure it would be a good idea to present a brief architecture of the story a bit within the mechanics section.  The basic concept of the story is essentially a strange hodge-podge combination of the better aspects of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2.  Like with Origins the game will center around two core conflicts.  Origins had the Warden dealing with the Darkspawn and finding a way to stop the Archdemon, while simultaneously conflicting with Loghain and the political situations in Fereldon.  DA4 will be dealing with Solas and finding a way to stop him, while simultaneously conflicting with the social inequality and political situations (AKA Slave Rebellion and Reform) of Tevinter.  The core difference between those two conflicts for this concept is that they are split between the two PCs, rather than being dealt with by only one, with each PC dealing with the story they are more related to and gradually being dragged into the conflicts of the other.  Like with DA2 the story will be split up into 3 distinct Acts that will serve to keep the story organized and to facilitate the player having to switch between two PCs.

 

Inquisitor Story: "Hunt for the Dread Wolf"

 

The Inquisitor's story revolves around going undercover, with Dorian serving as the method to do so.  As masquerading as one of the Pavus household "servants" the character has an easy access point in to Tevinter and would allow players the chance to experience Tevinter High Society and the perspectives intrinsic to it first-hand.   Personal letters from LI's left behind along with remaining contacts in the south (Including the Inquisition if it still exists) could be addressed to Dorian without suspicion from Solas' agents due to his previous affiliations within the Inquisition's inner circle and his still active friendships with many of its members.  Essentially, it would actually be unusual for him not to continue to receive reports and correspondence from his contacts in Southern Thedas.  Letters from LI's left behind could be voiced or unvoiced, but should include a similar dialogue wheel system to that of normal in game conversations and allow for chosen player responses for return letters.  As for the Inquisitor's big in game decisions, they should adhere closely to this premise "The greater a hero you are to the people of Tevinter, the higher the risk is of being found out by Solas' network".  The Inquisitor is in Tevinter for the sake of thwarting Solas and keeping a low profile should be inherent to that mission's success.  Major decisions should therefore revolve around this principle and effect the ending if you do oust yourself.  Do you save a town from destruction and risk being revealed, or do you leave the people to their fate and preserve your cover?  Do you take responsibility for your actions or shuffle the responsibility/blame for those actions onto someone higher on the command chain (you are just a servant after all)? 

 

- 4 voice actors would be required for the Inquisitor's return.

 

Tevinter Story: "Chains of Tevinter"

 

The Tevinter PC, regardless of their selected Origin story should eventually find themselves at the bottom rung of Tevinter slave society, either through betrayal, bad luck, or through a mistake of their own.  Including those intrinsic bonuses that come from playing a new PC, the addition of the Inquisitor as a returning PC allows for the new Tevinter PC an advantage that has thus far been denied to all those DA PCs that have come before ... a chance at an insider's perspective to an in game setting; as the Inquisitor PC (an outsider) can serve as an outlet for setting and exposition that the player needs, but a Tevinter native should really already know.  That being said, since Tevinter is one of the most human-centric societies in all of Thedas to fully exploit this opportunity for an insider PC their race options are advised to be more restricted, limited to Human or Elf.  As for story the New-PC should revolve around the slave rebellion story-line, which will allow the players (in stark contrast to the Inquisitor) to get a perspective on the lowest levels of slave society in Tevinter.  They shouldn't be the leader of this movement, but rather that role should go to Calpernia who is the most avid (potentially living) proponent of radical change for Tevinter society that we've met thus far and is also one who is as desperate to redeem herself as she is Tevinter, due to her unfortunate connections with the Venatori in DA:I.  The early game Antagonist should be Dorian (not as a villain, but as a member of the ruling caste and one who has competing goals) and the Tevinter PC will eventually serve as one of Calpernia's adviser and a chief enforcer.  Marius will serve in a similar role to Calpernia, but also double as the Tevinter PC's combat mentor as a second Adviser.  With their decisions revolving around: who should your movement ally with, how dirty or fair your politics should be, and ultimately in the end "helping" in the creation/recreation of Tevinter itself.  Reborn vs Reform style politics.

 

- 2 voice actors (good ones) are advisable for this PC.

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Followers:

 

Setting of Tevinter as it is I don't have a lot for this section currently beyond a few limited suggestions as to how the followers and LI's should be approached in regards to functioning within a Dual-PC DA4.  Like with all the previous games there will be a total of 9 Companions and running with the Dual PC theme of the game, they will be split into two groups.  The Tevinter PC requires the most attention and the most opportunity to define who they are in relation to their world (and opportunities for lovin), while the Inquisitor on the other hand simply needs a lot less attention and a considering the deep-cover narrative that is intended for the Inquisitor in this scenario a small close-knit group would be more effective.  As such the Inquisitor gets a total of three (one of each class respectively) and the Tevinter PC gets six (two of each class).  The Companion Specializations of both PC's will be based off of the Tevinter PC's specialization list which will be discussed later within this section.

 

Returning Character Follower Suggestions:

 

- Inquisitor PC: Scout Harding - (Tempest)

- Tevinter PC: Tessa Forsythia - (Duelist)

 

Love Interests:

 

Love Interests for this concept will borrow heavily from DA:I in terms of mechanics.  Like with DA:I there should be a total of eight, spread across a number of genders, races, and sexual preferences.  Like with DA:I followers and non-followers should be available for romance and ... despite my better judgment ... since this fan concept for DA4 is meant to be a stand-alone game as much as it is meant to be the next installment of the Dragon Age franchise, the Inquisitor PC should be allowed a limited number of options for Love Interests within DA4 (if nothing else to allow New Players a chance to romance up their Inquisitor for the first time).  Therefore the Inquisitor should have a total of three (Two Companion/One Non-Companion) which are only accessible if the Inquisitor didn't have an LI, by the end of DA:I (which will be the default world state),  their LI died (Bull), or were abandoned by Solas and don't wish to pursue the romance further.  Dorian/Solas Love Interest Inquisitors will also have romance options as well, for obvious reasons.  As for the other Inquisition LI's as stated in the "Story Basics" section they will be handled with a letter dialogue wheel system where in which the Inquisitor PC is allowed to choose their responses back to their loved ones (you are not intending to be away for very long so these "letters" should only really need to serve as temporary comforts).  The Tevinter PC on the other hand simply needs more options for love interests since they are a brand new hero, it's also their world so it simply makes more sense for the setting for them to have more options available.  Therefore the Tevinter PC gets access to five LIs (Four Companions/One Non-Companion).

 

Returning Character Love Interest Suggestions:

 

- Inquisitor PC: Scout Harding,

- Inquisitor PC: Dorian (If not romanced by Iron Bull)

- Tevinter PC: Calpernia (Depending on how the "Mage Killer" comic progresses)

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Story Basics Wrap-Up:

 

In summation with the exception of the two additional voice actors required to facilitate the Tevinter PC I split the remaining story resources required for game between the two PCs, which should keep costs more manageable:

 

- Inquisitor PC - Outsider Perspective, High Magic Centered, No Choice of Origin, Full Choice of Race, 4 Voice Actors, 3 Companions, 3 LI’s (2 In party and 1 External), and Goal focused.  The Batman of this Story.

 

- Tevinter PC - Insider Perspective, Low Magic Centered, Multiple choices of Origins, Limited Choice of Race, 2 Voice Actors, 6 Companions, 5 LI’s (4 In party, 1 External), and Ideal Focused.  The Superman of this Story.

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Classes:

 

Some simple suggestions in regards to how classes could work for a Dual-PC storyline, specifically in regards to class specialization.  Standard non-talent or character based talent trees will be the same for both PCs.

 

Mage Specializations:

 

- Necromancer (Both PCs have access)

- Knight Enchanter (Both PCs have access)

- Blood Mage (Tevinter PC Only)

- Rift Mage (Inquisitor PC Only ... for obvious reasons)

 

Warrior Specializations:

 

- Champion (Both PCs have access)

- Reaver (Both PCs have access)

- Spirit Warrior (Tevinter PC Only)

- Templar (Inquisitor PC Only ... for obvious reasons)

 

Rogue Specializations:

 

- Assassin (Both PCs have access)

- Tempest (Both PCs have access)

- Duelist (Tevinter PC Only)

- Artificer (Inquisitor PC Only)

 

PC Specializations:

 

Side Note: These two talent tree's are meant to be universally usable by a PC of any class, though they perhaps may be more beneficial to some specializations than others.  Buffs, Debuffs, Crowd Controls, Stuns, Interrupts, and Mobility abilities should be the focus of both Unique PC Talent Trees.

 

- Mage Hunter (Tevinter PC Only - Because this needs to happen, especially with the prospect of playing a Mage, Mage Hunter.  Which simply put, sounds awesome).
- Architect (Inquisitor PC Only, based around techniques and improvements to the Inquisitor's prosthetic whatever it may be).

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PC Combat Style Basics:

 

So here are a few thoughts on how combat could work in a Dual-PC game.

 

Based off of the DA:I style combat system, basic talent trees (non-specialization) and two of the four specializations for each class will be shared between the two player characters.  As shown before there will be one unique specialization tree per class, per character and you can check back to the Classes portion if you would like to see the specifics.  In short if you include the Unique PC Talent tree's the game will require four more Talent Tree's than was in DA:I, 26 across all classes instead of 22.

 

Since they will be sharing so many basic combat mechanics in order to differentiate between the two PCs in terms of combat I thought it would be prudent to have each PC interact with combat (and abilities) somewhat differently, but this would take a small revisal on how the "auto-attack" system works in order to facilitate both and center their combat around their specific PC talent tree (though to be fair I figured Bioware would do this regardless considering how unbearably automated and dull it was in DA:I).   Most of this need only be aesthetic in how it will function in game and should be designed in regards to the two primary enemies being faced, the Elves and Qunari.

 

Tevinter PC:

 

The Tevinter is both a new up and comer and a prospective Mage Hunter, even if they themselves are a mage, therefore their combat should reflect that.  Combat should be a little more fast paced, with a high level of mobility, and focused a bit more on dodging, interrupts, debuffs and temporary silences.  Outside of activated utility abilities "Mage Hunter" will include passive abilities which allow for percentage chances for these offensive status effects (for example: for every hit you land on an enemy you have a percentage chance to silence that target), which could be improved through further talent investment.  Rapid, sustained damage is the goal so the Tevinter PC will have naturally higher mana an energy regeneration than an Inquisitor PC of the same level and their animations should be fast and fluidic.  In short, the Tevinter PC handles like a rapier or a machine gun.

 

Inquisitor PC:

 

The Inquisitor has a ton of experience in combat by this point, but they are now inhibited heavily by their now missing appendage and are struggling to re-teach themselves to fight with their new prosthetic.  As a result they are simply less adept at prolonged fights and visually move slower, but hit with far more impact (trying to finish the fight fast without wasting energy).  "Architect" is a talent tree based around the new arm and should focus on guard generation, stuns, grapples, and self-buffs and since I would prefer that the handicap actually play a part in combat (as well as the story) "Architect" will also serve as a double-edged sword.  This fighting style is Burst damaged focused so the Inquisitor will higher reserves of Mana and Energy, but less regeneration than the Tevinter.  Thus, the Inquisitor PC feels more like a great sword or a shotgun when being used.

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The Prosthetic "Architect" (The Name is up for Debate).

 

Originally I got this idea for the "Double-Edged Sword" by watching the way in which the Anchor effected the Inquisitor PC in both the DA:I Prologue "The Wrath of Heaven" and "Trespasser" in regards to the way it made the Inquisitor flinch or collapse while it was unstable.  I would like the prosthetic to be universally useful for all Inquisitor PCs and their respective combat style and having something that at least behaves like a forearm, wrist, and hand would best service that intention.  I decided on this design for two practical reasons: 1) Bioware won't need to invest the time and resources it would take to create individual prosthetics made to fit each and every type of combat style available, including those prosthetics respective animations; and 2) Since this will require an additional set of combat mechanics and animations to show visually it would be more cost effective for them to make something that NPCs can also use as well, just with a real arm and not a prosthetic one.   Some companions whether their physical powerhouses or older in age may visually use the more brute force style of the Inquisitor PC, while those who are smaller or younger can use the Tevinter PC's combat animations.  This is also an attempt to rectify an aesthetic issue I personally had with DA:I combat where every race fought in the exact same way, despite the extremely obvious differences in physical stature. Therefore, having two different sets of combat animations for each combat proficiency in DA4 is especially important for this fan-project, considering the main enemies within the story will be Qunari and Elves; who should not for any reason be fighting with the same styles.

 

Aesthetically my personal design looks like a mix between Furiosa's prosthetic from Mad Max and Saber's gauntlets from Fate/Stay Night.  To reduce complexity and increase the realism of it being able to exist within the world of Thedas (even if it is a brand new prototype) the composition will consist of a forearmed gauntlet with a 2 jointed thumb, 2 jointed index finger and single additional larger 2 jointed digit that will suffice for the remaining three fingers.  7 joints in total including the wrist would be required and to keep it firmly attached a elbow brace and shoulder harness would be needed.  Furiosa's arm in Fury Road conceivably works in a very similar way to experimental modern electronic prosthetics do right now, as it uses electrical impulses in the brain to cause movements within the arm.  Thedas, however, has no-where near the level of technology to achieve this, but they could make do through the use lyrium and magic.  Lyrium tattoos like those found on Fenris, with a few lyrium ruins acting as receivers within the prosthetic, much like Samson's lyrium armor, could facilitate the movement of the arm and allow for improved dexterity and flexibility.  This would facilitate for any number of combat styles and allow for other dex-based activities (lock picking for example).  These tattoos are also where the double-edge sword concept is applied as well, as Lyrium Tattoos do come with a number of negative side effects, with severe bouts of pain being one of them.  Sure, I want the Inquisitor back, but I do have a bit of a sadistic side so I would like them to suffer for their decision to return, while simultaneously showing that the removal of the arm does truly have a lasting impact.
 

Edit: Thanks to username: Dai Grepher for convincing me to post this part.  On the issue of Mages and "Architect" the usefulness of the prosthetic in comparison to the other classes could inherently present a problem.  Outside of the obvious issue of direct lyrium contact, the arm itself would only function at best as an additional support for staff combat if placed under similar rules as the DA:I Mage Combat, which is primarily unneeded.  In general, a Mage Inquisitor simply suffers far less drawbacks from the removal of the arm then Warriors and Rogues ... which meant any attempt to rectify the disadvantage intrinsic to those two classes, will also be less effective for a Mage.  As such, I originally designed "Architect" to be used as a replacement staff itself, in the shape of a prosthetic arm.  My concept did include a number of lyrium runes to facilitate the movement of the prosthetic anyway, so it is certainly possible that a Staff Focusing Crystal could be placed within the arm as well.  The only problem with this is that the Class Combat style for an Inquisitor Mage (discussed above) would have to center around this "unarmed" style, which isn't too much of an issue to be honest as Magic usage would vary the least between the races in terms of technique.  So everyone else regardless of race or build would use the default "Mage Staff" combat style, while the Inquisitor uses this unique "unarmed" style.
 

Simple Ideas for Practical Costs of the Architect: By Dai Grepher
 

- 1) A five second period of pain and flinching that slows movement speed and attack speed.

- 2) If a spell or combat ability is used in this period, then it will cause a small amount of self-damage.

- 3) Guard is Broken

- 4) Focus is decreased

- 5) A flash of pain, causing an interrupt to any action that was being taken.

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Locations:

 

I've posted this before in my previous thread, but because I've updated it as small bit and due to its significance to my personal concept for a Dual PC story for DA4 I feel the updated list of locations needs to be reposted.  In short, the areas of the game will consist of a variety of the styles that were found within the previous installment of the series.  I will make a quick comment as to each area categories' function, along with the suggested zones that will be required for this game.

 

Explorable Zones: Open Environment Zones - Total (6)

 

Explorable Zones are reflective of those experienced in Dragon Age: Inquisition and are meant to allow the player a certain level of free-range.  The following 6 areas will serve as large, scenic, free-roaming locations and meant to facilitate both main and side content.  If collectables need to be added these would be the game areas where in which they would be primarily found.

 

- Valarian Fields

- The Silent Plains

- The High Reaches

- Eyes of Nocen

- The Hundred Pillars

- Arlathan Forest

 

Urban Zones: Sectioned City Zones - Total (4)

 

If we are going to Tevinter, the player will need a well done Minrathous.  To that effect I turn to Dragon Age 2's City of Kirkwall, which still represents the best attempt by Bioware to create a semi-explorable urban world for the DA franchise.  In my version the Capital of Tevinter has been divided into four sections similar to Kirkwall and will serve as a central point for the story and a hub for side content.

 

- Upper Minrathous

- Lower Minrathous

- Three Imperators' Square

- Minrathous Shipyards

 

Dungeon Zones: Restricted Dungeon Zones - Total (12)

 

I use the term "Dungeon Zones" as a general reference to any area that allows for semi-exploration, but still remain heavily restrictive.  Mostly reflective to Dragon Age: Origins style, these are meant to be  used as retainers of smaller cities/towns (Redcliffe), large buildings (Circle of Magi), dungeons (Deeproads) or set pieces like Adamant Fortress and are highly story quest intensive locations.  Sizes of these zones can vary heavily.

 

- Qarinas

- Solas

- Ath Velanis

- Alam

- The Circle of Magi

- The Argent Spire

- The Bridge of Minrathous

- Minrathous Harbor

- The Ruins of Arlathan

- The Deep Roads

- The Black City

- The Golden City

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Budgetary Issues:
 

I figure I would end the Mechanics Section off with a small addition in regards to budgetary issues facing this fan game, as I did put a lot of thought into them when creating this narrative.  I'll be honest, because this is a Dual-Protagonist concept this fan game will require a larger budget than DA:I, especially in regards the story specific content.  That being said I did take a number of steps to mitigate some of the required budgetary increases and I'll note those later, but first let us get the big one out of the way ... the story.
 

- Main Story - The Dual Protagonist storyline includes a grand total of 22 main story quests, with an additional 4 sub-quests devoted to the 4 Origin stories for the Tevinter PC (which are included in Tevinter Quest 1) and an additional ending cinematic for the final PC decision.  The game boils down to a total of about 11 Main Story Quests for the Inquisitor PC and 15 (with Origins) for the Tevinter PC, with the Inquisitor PC having their trademark 4 Voice Actors (meaning 44 Quests worth of spoken dialogue would be needed) and the Tevinter PC have 2 (for a total of 30 Quests worth of dialogue).  Essentially what I did was take the amount required for DA:I (40) and added approximately half of what was needed for a SWTOR Class Story Line on top of it (which averaged about 25-27 Quests, which had 2 Voice Actors each and 50-54 Quests worth of dialogue).  This game would then require approximately 74 Quests worth of story dialogue and 26 Quests worth of story cinematics to work.
 

- Companions, Advisors, and Love Interests - A discussed before in their respective sections these two facets are heavily based off of what was found in DA:I.  Companions will have a total of 9, split between 2 parties, with 3 going to the Inquisitor PC and 6 going to the Tevinter PC.  Now in terms of cinematic dialogue, without inflation, DA:4 "could" have very little variance in reference to expenditures.  On the other hand in terms of "Party Banter", because the total of 9 is split between two groups, Bioware could use this as a method to decrease to total cost as there simply are less combinations of party members within this game.  For Advisers there are 3 Major ones along with a number of smaller optional ones that are based on player decisions, as such in general the expenditures will be about the same as DA:I.  Finally Love interests, since there are a total of 8 (3 for the Inquisitor and 5 for the Tevinter) the total cost won't presumably be all that much different from DA:I, with the only major addition being the "Letters From Home" section which will include a series of dialogue wheeled Letters with Love Interests left in Southern Thedas for those players that have them (which can be voiced or unvoiced depending on Bioware's prerogative).

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- Combat Issues - There are a few additional budget increases for Combat, but not too many.  I based this game HEAVILY off of DA:I so the core mechanics will remain the same, with a few select changes.  Because there are two PCs combat needs to have some variance in order to keep the two characters distinct enough to be worthwhile to play and to keep combat from getting too stale.  Therefore there are a few mechanical components that will be employed to help with this (many of which have been discussed in the Class and PC Talent Specialization section), but the key variance will be done through aesthetics.  2 full sets of Combat Animations, based primarily around the main enemies (the Qunari and the Elves) that will be found in the game should be created and distributed amongst the PC and NPCs who fit those combat styles best.  There is such huge physical and organizational differences between the two races that there is very little reason for them to be fighting with the same combat style.  The Tevinter PC, who is younger and a "Mage Hunter" will fight like an Elf ... smooth and fluidic, with a faster pace and high mobility, while the Inquisitor PC who is suffering from their handicap and therefore no longer proficient in extended combat will adopt the Qunari style; which uses sharp, disciplined, heavy in impact moves, but slower.  In short, the combat styles will be: Qunari Warrior Combat Styles, Elven Warrior Combat Styles, Qunari Rogue Combat Styles, Elven Rogue Combat Styles, Mage Universal, & Inquisitor Mage; in terms of both animation and abilities. 

 

- A few other small changes.  DA:I had a grand total of 22 Talent trees spread across all classes and specializations, including the Anchor, so to facilitate for both PC's an additional 4 and their corresponding animations will need to be added, bringing the total up to 26.  Combine this with a slight change in how the auto-attack system works (my suggestion is being able to actually move while auto-attacking and maybe even using certain abilities) and these small additions could prove immeasurably beneficial and relatively "cheap" to implement.  Finally, Bioware simply needs to do better on their Companion tactics system ... they did a really good job in DA:O with it so I know it's possible to do, but the one they used in DA:I was kind of a joke.  Outside of these things (and they are substantial in their own small ways) Combat budget remains the same and combat, for the most part, also remains the same.

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- A small system to allow for switching between the two PC's will also be required, along with a "Letters From Home" system for Inquisitor PC.  Zones will also be a little more varied, but their balanced out a bit so they shouldn't be too much more expensive as they were in DA:I outside of whatever optional intricacies Bioware wishes to put within Minrathous and Qarinas.

 

- As for things that will be getting removed ... obviously Skyhold style base-building will be removed and have the budget repurposed elsewhere, as will War Table Ops and Judgements, as none of these three things are even remotely necessary for the narrative I've made for my fan game.  I personally would also remove the Weapon and Armor crafting mechanics from DA:I and with it the resource gathering aspect.  I know people will get pissed and even I admit that Bioware did excellent job implementing these features, but honestly I really did feel like the gathering of resources was nothing more than busywork and the crafted weapons and armor themselves where SO DAMNED GOOD that they actually detracted from weapon drops and Boss Rewards.  I remember one of the best parts of DA:O was finishing a long side quest or exploring some side path and finding a rare, really good, item that I or my party could use ... but in DA:I once a crafted set of Tier 4 Gear was made I never used an item drop again outside of Amulets and Rings.  As such I do feel that the budget required for these two features should be repurposed elsewhere and at most players should be given a re-skin or armor dye tool to allow for choice in basic aesthetics.  Finally, unless Bioware wants to actually make them worth-while, with an interesting quest chain or amazing loot ... shards, or anything resembling shards, should not be included in the game.  Collectibles are fine, but not game long gathering quests for **** rewards, that was nonsense Bioware.

THATS IT! MOST OF THE NITTY GRITTY NON-STORY CRAP IS DONE!  SORRY AGAIN and if you'd like to see my older thread check it out here! http://forum.bioware.../#entry20083701

I'll start posting the Story by ACT in a couple of Days ... and I'm sure I'll get some people pissed at me for it, but it was fun to write nonetheless! 

[Heimdall]

I'm personally much less interested in the Tevinter revolution angle you seem to be fascinated by. What about the implied Qunari invasion? The problem I have with the whole scenario is that I don't think there's any way Tevinter could contend with the Qunari and a civil war without the whole nation falling to the Qun. You also seem to think Calpernia would be an obvious choice for leading a slave rebellion, but from all we know of her she is a hardcore Tevinter nationalist. She wants more meritocracy in the system, but she's no Anders recklessly trying to tear down the system.

You know my preferences about the dual protagonist issue by now, so I won't get into that.

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I'm personally much less interested in the Tevinter revolution angle you seem to be fascinated by. What about the implied Qunari invasion? The problem I have with the whole scenario is that I don't think there's any way Tevinter could contend with the Qunari and a civil war without the whole nation falling to the Qun. You also seem to think Calpernia would be an obvious choice for leading a slave rebellion, but from all we know of her she is a hardcore Tevinter nationalist. She wants more meritocracy in the system, but she's no Anders recklessly trying to tear down the system.

You know my preferences about the dual protagonist issue by now, so I won't get into that.

Yeah, the rough "outlines" I posted really only include the basics. 

 

I didn't really want to get into the details since I'll be posting them later anyway.  The Qun invasion is a Huge Event and is built up in the background during Act 1 and takes up the entirety of the longest Act, Act 2.  It also serves as the pivotal moment in which the Inquisitor starts getting involved in Tevinter's problems (the countries).  The thing is though, I really don't believe a war is a good central narrative for an RPG, as War is relatively simple in a story sense, especially when its Tevinter vs the Qunari.  I didn't really wan't an entire RPG to be devoted to the Qunari/Tevinter Conflict (I means its there and I have 2 of the 3 planned DLCs revolving around it along with bits of Act 1 and ALL of Act 2), but I just personally don't find a war to be an interesting enough of narrative point to build an entire game around (especially against the Qunari who you "may" be able to beat militarily, but not ideologically ... their like a cult).  War is simple,in a general sense, especially a 300 year war who's core reasons for its existence is so far in the past.  

As for Calpernia you're right she is a hardcore Tevinter nationalist, but she is also a freed slave that wishes freedom for the rest (she want's them to have a chance of "reaching their potential"), which fundamentally means she's against one of the biggest structural principles of the Imperium.  Dorian has openly admitted he will not address the Slavery issue of Tevinter, he's made his points clear on his perception of Slavery and the Inquisitor did nothing to change his mind during DA:I, therefore I needed a character who did wan't to free the slaves, who seeks redemption, who cares for Tevinter, and who is still alive. Calpernia also didn't have a power base by the end of DA:I and I did like her a lot as a character and think there is a lot that could be built on. 

Of the available characters I could work with, and I did consider quite a few, at the end of the day Calpernia who is actively for both Radical Change and is Anti-Slavery proved to be the best option.

Also, Hi Heim!

[Heimdall]

Yeah, the rough "outlines" I posted really only include the basics.

I didn't really want to get into the details since I'll be posting them later anyway. The Qun invasion is a Huge Event and is built up in the background during Act 1 and takes up the entirety of the longest Act, Act 2. It also serves as the pivotal moment in which the Inquisitor starts getting involved in Tevinter's problems (the countries). The thing is though, I really don't believe a war is a good central narrative for an RPG, as War is relatively simple in a story sense, especially when its Tevinter vs the Qunari. I didn't really wan't an entire RPG to be devoted to the Qunari/Tevinter Conflict (I means its there and I have 2 of the 3 planned DLCs revolving around it along with bits of Act 1 and ALL of Act 2), but I just personally don't find a war to be an interesting enough of narrative point to build an entire game around (especially against the Qunari who you "may" be able to beat militarily, but not ideologically ... their like a cult). War is simple,in a general sense, especially a 300 year war who's core reasons for its existence is so far in the past.

As for Calpernia you're right she is a hardcore Tevinter nationalist, but she is also a freed slave that wishes freedom for the rest (she want's them to have a chance of "reaching their potential"), which fundamentally means she's against one of the biggest structural principles of the Imperium. Dorian has openly admitted he will not address the Slavery issue of Tevinter, he's made his points clear on his perception of Slavery and the Inquisitor did nothing to change his mind during DA:I, therefore I needed a character who did wan't to free the slaves, who seeks redemption, who cares for Tevinter, and who is still alive. Calpernia also didn't have a power base by the end of DA:I and I did like her a lot as a character and think there is a lot that could be built on.

Of the available characters I could work with, and I did consider quite a few, at the end of the day Calpernia who is actively for both Radical Change and is Anti-Slavery proved to be the best option.

Also, Hi Heim!

Hi Card!

I also think the Qunari invasion should be more of a backdrop, like the Nilfgaardian invasion in TW3, not a focus of the plot but a constantly present issue that shadows it. It would be something that shapes the situation the story takes place in. For example, one idea I've been kicking around is a magister reviving Danarius' lyrium tattoo research and trying to create an army of slave super soldiers to fight the qunari. Or going the other way we could get a Lord Dunmore situation where a magister promises freedom for slaves that take up arms to defend the Imperium. Or a bit of both.

I see your point about Calpernia, I'm just not sure that immediate emancipation is really something she prioritizes, especially in the midst of a foreign invasion. I could see her pushing for more radical reform than Dorian, but I don't think they're so opposed in goals. I actually really like the idea of Calpernia as a companion.

[CardButton]

Dragon Age 4: Thoughts on a Dual Protagonist Storyline for DA4 – Story

 

A "Few" Things Before I Begin:

 

Issues of Fan Theories:

 

OK … it is now time to burn some bridges for people reading this, but it needs to be done.  There are a number of liberties I had to take with the setting in order to get this story to be a GRAND enough adventure to warrant an additional PC.  Bluntly, I had to use a pair of fan theories in order to get the story to work.  One is pretty small and more of a matter of perspective.  The second is pretty large and some people may not approve … but after mulling it over for a rather long time, I found no other alternatives.

 

-1) Old Gods and the Blight:  Regardless of whether or not the Old Gods intended to release the Blight when they sent their Magisters into the Golden City, I am under the suspicion that the Old Gods never intended to become corrupted themselves.  Namely, whatever their intentions, they do not wish to become tainted and it is this facet of their theoretical persona that I used for this story.  I’m also not really all that fond of the idea that the Tevinter Old Gods are themselves the Evanuris.  While this theory does make some sense, especially in regards to the numbers, I personally feel it shrinks the world of Thedas a bit too much for my taste.  The Old Gods still remain a mystery, the Evanuris ... not so much.  I'd like to exploit that factor a bit for this story.

 

-2) The Golden/Black City is Arlathan: After the reveal in “Trespasser” that the Veil is an artificial construct I am under the impression that this city in the Fade is NOT the “Seat of the Maker”, but rather the site of the Ancient Capital of the Elvhen Empire.  Solas once said that "A True God doesn't need worshipers" and by that logic if the Maker is a true God he would not require them.  It therefore seems strange that he would possess a Giant, Gaudy, Golden City and Throne, when those would only service as a method to gain worshipers.  False Elvhen Gods, in contrast, would relish the opportunity to have such a place to demonstrate their divine power.  If this theory is incorrect then the Final Act does not work, but if it isn't then it is a historic epicenter of both the Ancient Elvhen Civilization and the Ancient Tevinter Imperium.  The site of Solas revenge and the location of Tevinter's greatest Sin.

[CardButton]

Issues of DA: Inquisition Decisions:

 

Luckily, there are not really all that many decisions that should play a role on the integral events surrounding the Inquisitor if they were to return in DA4.  Thanks primarily to the setting being in Tevinter the huge-scale events in DA: I occurred so far to the South in Thedas that many of them will not have much influence on the proceedings of the game.  However, there are a few decisions that should have “some” impact and I’ve listed them below in order of importance.

 

-1) The Well of Sorrows: For those players who did not drink from the WoS this decision will matter very little to them or their Inquisitor PC, for those who did however it is an intrinsic part of their character now.  The concept that perhaps Solas can now control the Gaess due to his "absorption" of Mythal (and I have written the story in reference to this), the communion with the WoS fundamentally alters the way an Inquisitor interacts with the Ancient World.  As such, additional dialogue options while in Ancient Elven ruins would be preferential to facilitate this DA:I choice.  No additional side-quests would be required for the WoS decision.

 

-2) Disband or Retain Inquisition: Thankfully due to the distance between the Inquisition and the apparent setting of DA:4 the influence of this decision has been diminished quite a bit, but it should still play a role on the proceedings of the game.  Due to the relationship between the Northern and Southern Andrastian sects the Inquisition's armed forces will be all but useless, but the Inquisition's diplomatic core and spy network will both be invaluable; even if their existence threatens to oust the Inquisitor themselves.  Inquisitors who "retained" their Inquisition will start out with more (notoriety/fame) then their "disband" counterparts, but should have additional dialogue options available to them due to their increased connections.  A "few" exclusive side-quests for both sides should also be made available.

 

-3) Mage/Templar Conflict: A small adjustment will be needed for this decision, because it shifts the Inquisitor PC's relationship to Calpernia if they sided with the Templars.  Essentially there are three options: 1) Inquisitors who sided with the Rebel Mages will be meeting her for the first time, 2) Inquisitor's who "forced back" Calpernia have met her before, but she will not be all that happy to see them again, and 3) Inquisitors who convinced her to betray Corypheus have met her before and should have a more positive relationship with her.  This decision fundamentally alters their previous relationship with her and therefore the initial dialogue once the Inquisitor meets her in Tevinter must reflect that.  A few changes in dialogue when the two character first meet should suffice for this decision.

 

-4) Save/Stop Solas: Very minor decision that serves only in an aesthetic purpose in the events of this game, primarily because if the Inquisitor is returning as a playable PC then that decision can be made once the final conflict occurs.  Players may change their mind during the events of DA:4 and therefore this decision only serves as a character facet.

 

All other previous game decisions, including LIs, can be facilitated through a DA: Keep system and may play small or aesthetic effects on the game.

[CardButton]

An Issue of Canon:

 

Okay ... here is the big one.  In order to get this story to work I had to retcon the events surrounding the character of Alistair in the comic series "Dragon Age: The Silent Grove", "Dragon Age: Those Who Speak", and "Dragon Age: Until We Sleep".  I'm not particularly fond of the idea of doing this, but in order to get the Inquisitor PC storyline to work smoothly I had to rely on Magister Aurelian Titus, who dies in the events of those books.  

 

According to Bioware these comics are to be considered non-canon and rather a part of Bioware's own personal Dragon Age: Origins world state, which as far as I can tell is a Hardened King Alistair married to Anora, with the HoF sacrificed to the Arch Demon.  At the same time these events don't EVER occur if a player doesn't have that exact world state, nor are they ever alluded to in DA:I even if the player is using the default world-state.  Therefore to write this story what I did was assume that events of these 3 Comics NEVER occurred and instead I re-purposed the amazing setting and characters that were introduced within their pages for the purpose of this fan concept.  Things like Varric's relationship to Maevaris, Sten becoming Arishok, Ath Velanis being the center of a Titus' Dragon Cult ... will stay the same.  The difference is that Alistair and his companions actions have been thoroughly removed and therefore any byproducts of their influence on those events.  Without Alistair's presence Maeveris is never captured, the Qunari do not make the assault on Ath Velanis, and Aurelian Titus' experimentation would have proved a success ... just not in the way he intended.  Therefore the two major differences will be 1) King Marric perishes at the hands of Titus' experiments and 2) Magister Titus is still alive and remains in control of his fortress.

[CardButton]

Issues of Story-Quest Mechanics:

 

There are two ways to get a dual-PC storyline to work for a Bioware style RPG.  The first method is like what games such as Halo 2 utilized to transition the player between the two different PCs.  The player, at specific progression points during the story, is forcibly switched between the PCs as the story requires in order to get the two PCs where they need to be, when the story needs them to be there.  The second method is the GTAV method, which allows players to switch between the different PCs at will, but then restricts forward story progression until certain quests are completed for certain PCs (namely in GTAV you could not progress very far in the story with Trevor, Franklin or Michael individually without being forced to switch to one of the other characters and progress their story first).  Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.  The prior (forcibly switching the Player) limits player autonomy, but enforces story coherency.  The story runs smoother, but the player is more restricted, even if they are able to do as much side content as they want before progressing the main story.  The latter allows for more player freedom, but can disjoint the story if not done correctly and can prove frustrating due to the artificial restrictions on story progression placed on the player.  Namely "No you are not allowed to do the main story until you've done the other characters to match!  The God of Video Games commands it!"

 

For the sake of my own sanity, I've relied on a bit of both.  Some story quests (most often in the beginning and end of each arc) will be using the Halo 2 method of forcing players to switch between the two PCs as the game's story needs, to best coherently present what is going on.  During these periods Players will be locked into playing a particular PC up until the point they finish a main story quest, but they will be allowed to do as much side content as is available as they would like before doing so.  Once completed the Player is automatically switched to the other PC.  This method is exclusively used when the two PC's main quests have a particular order they need to be completed in, in order for the story to make sense.  This format is most heavily used in Act 2 during the Qunari conflict.  The latter type (the GTA V method) will be used when the story doesn't need to be done in a particular order.  There are a number of quests written for Act 1 and 3 where in which the order they are completed is relatively superfluous to the main story and are built to be done in a more flexible order to allow for more player freedom.  Along with a reprieve INTERMISSION in Act 2, it will allow the player to switch between the two PCs at will provided they are not actively within a Story Mission and in within a safe zone when switching.  This can be facilitated easy enough with a similar rudimentary system as was exhibited in GTAV where the other PC's portrait is shown on the Game UI.  The portrait remains grayed out when the other PC is unavailable and is in color when freedom to switch is allowed.

 

- Note: Side quests should probably be written individually for each PC, rather than the pool being shared.

 

- Note 2: Periods of Time During in which Free Switch between the two PCs is allowed will be Highlighted In Green! 

- ACT 1: After the Intro of Quest 3 (Inquisitor ACT 1 Quest 1) and before the conclusion to Quest 5, Free Switch Mode.

- ACT 2: INTERMISSION during the eye of the storm, Free Switch Mode Enabled.

- ACT 3: Quest 16 through Quest 19 can be done in a semi-flexible order, Free Switch Mode Enabled.

[CardButton]

Issues of Passive Reputations:
 

All right, we finally come to the last thing that I need to address in order for me get to the story ... an additional mechanic that works sort of like a mix between companion reputation from Dragon Age: Origins and the Divine election reputation mechanic from Dragon Age: Inquisition.  Namely there are a number passive reputations that will be attributed to many of the major player decisions and some of the player dialogue that will in turn effect the ending.  Because these "reputations" will primarily play an outcome on the Tevinter nation these passives will be more centered on the Tevinter PC, but the actions of the Inquisitor PC will also have an effect on the proceedings.  These four passive reps will often clash with one another, forcing players to choose and prioritize what they value most and effecting what Epilogue portions they get.
 

-1) Fame: Decisions and dialogue can effect a PCs fame.  The Inquisitor PC wants to keep this to a minimum to preserve their cover and too much of it will have negative consequences for their ending.  The Tevinter PC might actually want fame and if they accumulate enough of a presence amongst the people of Tevinter it will have a chance to positively effect their ending if the player so desires.  This is the only reputation of the four that will be available for viewing on the PC status screen.
  

-2) Old God Cult: During the course of the game there are a number of decisions that will play a heavy influence on the success of the Cult of the Old Gods of Tevinter and its resurgence of popularity.  Due to a specific event in game the Cult will gain some increased influence within Tevinter society regardless, but there are many player decisions that can affect that level of influence dramatically. 
 

-3) Radical vs Moderate: Essentially boils down to the lasting success of Dorian + Maeveris' Moderate "Lucerni" Faction vs Calpernia's repurposed Radical "Preasumptor" Faction.  Player decisions, dialogue and even side quests can play an effect on this and influence just how radical the social changes are within Tevinter by the end of the game.
 

-4) Stability: "The Empire may be Evil but they do keep the plumbing running".  This Final "reputation" defines on how quickly and efficiently the Tevinter Imperium was at rebuilding after the Qunari Conflict and implementing the new social changes caused by the events of the story.  Essentially, this is how smoothly that the changes the PC, Dorian and Calpernia caused were received and put to use.  In short, you may cause an enormous amount of change, but if you leave the country immeasurably unstable then there will be great difficulties at enforcing that change. 

...Coming Next my uber-fan fiction of a DA4 dual protagonist style game!  Check the "Story Basics" section if you want the overarching concept, but otherwise I'll start posting it by ACT in another couple of days!  Time to show just how OCD I really am about the DA Franchise!   

[Gwydden]

I'm personally much less interested in the Tevinter revolution angle you seem to be fascinated by. What about the implied Qunari invasion? The problem I have with the whole scenario is that I don't think there's any way Tevinter could contend with the Qunari and a civil war without the whole nation falling to the Qun. You also seem to think Calpernia would be an obvious choice for leading a slave rebellion, but from all we know of her she is a hardcore Tevinter nationalist. She wants more meritocracy in the system, but she's no Anders recklessly trying to tear down the system.

You know my preferences about the dual protagonist issue by now, so I won't get into that.

Personally I wouldn't mind it so much if they delayed the Qunari invasion one more game. It could be a constant sword of Damocles in DA4, but it wouldn't actually take place until the very end. Sort of like the Nilfgaardian invasion in TW2, actually. I think it deserves a game of its own, and that Antiva, Rivain, Seheron, and Par Vollen should feature heavily in it. As a matter of fact, this would be perfect for my naval adventure idea   A revolution in Tevinter seems like a perfect preamble for such a game. And to be fair, I detest the Solas plot and want to be done with it instead of mixing it with a highly anticipated event.

 

CardButton, you've put a lot of work into this and it shows. I'd rather the Inquisitor didn't return, but I'm not ardently opposed to a dual protagonist and I like what I've read so far. I'll get back to you with specifics when I finish reading your "little" essay 

[Addictress]

I love this and am reading every word

[Ieldra]

Impressive write-up, OP. That concept could really work. Consider my like of your OP a stand-in for the whole.

 

Apart from that, I'm in the same camp as Gwydden. I'd rather have the Inquisitor not return as a playable character, but I'm willing to accept it if the story makes up for making them lose in Trespasser.

[Patricia08]

Take 3 - "Dumb Ideas Refined" for a Dual PC Storyline for DA4!

 

Here we go again Mr. Cardbutton what i have red so far is that this is not a dumb idea what you have written here so don't call it that.  Are you trying to make me angry  because you don't want to see me angry    

 

edit. finally i had some time to read it all i was quite busy lately because again this is quite a wall of text.     

[Ieldra]

 ...because you don't want to see me angry  

Communication over the net comprises what I'd call a safe distance

[Patricia08]

Communication over the net comprises what I'd call a safe distance

 

Of course i am not really angry but it just annoys me a little that he would call this a dumb idea because it isn't 

 

And you never know i could be the person living next door   .