126 réponses à ce sujet

[BloodKaiden]

Thedas is a massive place, I'm cool with a new protagonist each time as we go to new regions. We have a mechanic like the Dragon Age Keep for new people coming to the series. That's more than enough for newcomers to pave their own history if they choose to without having to over cater for their slacking. We're on installment 4, they wanna jump in they can do the work.

[Nocte ad Mortem]

How? Tell me how a new PC would fit the story better than the Inquisitor for this one next game?

Well, I suppose there's no telling that when we have no idea what the story is for the next game, but I think bringing characters over brings over too much baggage to sort out. I'd rather get a clean slate with the new character and their companions, rather than have them try to balance all the old ones and have to account for all the old romances. It's too hard to balance everything people will want to see brought back with anything new. I'd rather get to know a new set of characters with a new protagonist than try to cram everything in and get less of everything, overall. 

[Hanako Ikezawa]

Well, I suppose there's no telling that when we have no idea what the story is for the next game, but I think bringing characters over brings over too much baggage to sort out. I'd rather get a clean slate with the new character and their companions, rather than have them try to balance all the old ones and have to account for all the old romances. It's too hard to balance everything people will want to see brought back with anything new. I'd rather get to know a new set of characters with a new protagonist than try to cram everything in and get less of everything, overall. 

Except we do know the story, at least a big part of it. Patrick Weekes stated this next game would finish Solas' story. 

 

As for it being hard:

[Nocte ad Mortem]

Except we do know the story, at least a big part of it. Patrick Weekes stated this next game would finish Solas' story. 

 

As for it being hard:

That's only part of the story. Most people assumed the mage/templar war would be the "main plot" from Inquisition directly after DA2. There could be a lot more. It may make more sense to introduce someone new, depending on where they start and where they focus the most on. The Inquisitor isn't exactly an inconspicuous figure and would stand out pretty much anywhere they went. I doubt they'd be able to work openly in Tevinter to any substantial extent at this point. They very well may have burned bridges with the Qunari. There's a lot to take into account concerning their reputation with different groups and how widely that can vary, which would eat up time and resources to account for. 

 

But it's not just hard, it isn't really possible to function the same way with a hold over protagonist. They only have so many words, so many resources. If they split them up between bringing back old stuff and including new stuff, it's going to show. With a new character, they'll definitely have more time to develop newer companions and newer connections. I suppose whether that's better or worse is somewhat subjective, but Inquisition was my least favorite cast of the three games, so I'm hardly invested in it being the one they break the rule to bring back.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

That's only part of the story. Most people assumed the mage/templar war would be the "main plot" from Inquisition directly after DA2. There could be a lot more. It may make more sense to introduce someone new, depending on where they start and where they focus the most on. The Inquisitor isn't exactly an inconspicuous figure and would stand out pretty much anywhere they went. I doubt they'd be able to work openly in Tevinter to any substantial extent at this point. They very well may have burned bridges with the Qunari. There's a lot to take into account concerning their reputation with different groups and how widely that can vary, which would eat up time and resources to account for. 

Solas is a man who plans to destroy the entire world to restore his own. There is no way that is going to be a side story. There may be another story earlier in the game, but he will be the main goal. 

I don't see a single way it makes more sense for someone new. Every argument for them and against the Inquisitor can be applied against the new PC. 

For example you say they will draw attention. So will the new PC. 

 

But it's not just hard, it isn't really possible to function the same way with a hold over protagonist. They only have so many words, so many resources. If they split them up between bringing back old stuff and including new stuff, it's going to show. With a new character, they'll definitely have more time to develop newer companions and newer connections. I suppose whether that's better or worse is somewhat subjective, but Inquisition was my least favorite cast of the three games, so I'm hardly invested in it being the one they break the rule to bring back.

Nonsense. Multiple games have done it successfully, so why not this?

Since the story is going to be about stopping Solas, it is objectively worse.

Oh boy, more new connections that will just be thrown away to follow a stupid rule again.

[Nocte ad Mortem]

Solas is a man who plans to destroy the entire world to restore his own. There is no way that is going to be a side story. There may be another story earlier in the game, but he will be the main goal. 

I don't see a single way it makes more sense for someone new. Every argument for them and against the Inquisitor can be applied against the new PC. 

For example you say they will draw attention. So will the new PC. 

 

Nonsense. Multiple games have done it successfully, so why not this?

Since the story is going to be about stopping Solas, it is objectively worse.

Oh boy, more new connections that will just be thrown away to follow a stupid rule again.

 

A new PC won't start out drawing attention. That's generally how it works. You don't draw attention until you've gotten enough support that you want attention. The Inquisitor lost most of their support, but they're still at peak for drawing attention. It's not ideal. They'd have to account for the purpose you chose for the Inquisition, all the connections you could make or break, your relationship with everyone they might include. It's a lot cleaner to just start over with someone new in the north and let the south chill for a while. They can write a cleaner story without having to trip up on every little thing that you could have altered with your choices in DA:I. It works better when they just take some influence from the biggest decision.

 

It's not "objectively" worse. It's definitely subjective. It's just an opinion, either way. But it's definitely going to be a lot easier on them to start over with a new character, and they'll definitely be able to focus more on developing new connections. I don't see it as just being "thrown away". I played a whole game with these characters, probably more than once. That's likely a couple hundred hours of my life I spent with them. Since that time spent usually includes getting to know their personalities pretty thoroughly, learning all about their background and helping them overcome their primary arc, I think it's better to let them go. Next time you can get to know new people and overcome their personal arcs. You get to learn about new places and cultures through these new people, and learn about organizations they're a part of that didn't get featured last time. To me, that's more enjoyable than dealing with the same people and the same problems again.

[thats1evildude]

I'm all for the new protagonist. Maybe I'll make an elf, just as an FU to Solas.

[DreamerM]

It's like some players can't handle that a tragic fate for the Inquisitor, especially a Solasmancing Inquisitor, was written in the stars from the start. Like she was always fated to suffer what mortals who take on gods always suffer; to be humbled, humiliated, reminded of her limitations. She's brought face-to-face with her own mortality and has to stare down how little she really matters, both to him and to the world at large.

 

In the end, this was not her story. It was never, really, her story. It's the story of the Dragon Age. She was important for a while. Then a god took that all from her. Maybe she loved him. But he's outgrown her. Her chapter is done, for little reason more then he does not need her anymore.

 

Solas has the blood of a PC on his hands, narratively speaking. He takes your main-character-ness from you. And there's NOTHING that PC can do to stop him. Someone else is going to have to continue this story. After everything she's done, everything she's accomplished... this is it.

That's brutal.

 

[Nimlowyn]

It's like some players can't handle that a tragic fate for the Inquisitor, especially a Solasmancing Inquisitor, was written in the stars from the start. Like she was always fated to suffer what mortals who take on gods always suffer; to be humbled, humiliated, reminded of her limitations. She's brought face-to-face with her own mortality and has to stare down how little she really matters, both to him and to the world at large.

 

In the end, this was not her story. It was never, really, her story. It's the story of the Dragon Age. She was important for a while. Then a god took that all from her. Maybe she loved him. But he's outgrown her. Her chapter is done, for little reason more then he says it is. He does not need her anymore.

 

Solas has the blood of a PC on his hands, narratively speaking. He takes your main-character-ness from you. And there's nothing that PC can do to stop him. Someone else is going to have to continue this story.

That's brutal.

 

Some players might not, I guess, but I personally never expected a happy ending with a guy whose story was "not a happy one". However the arc resolves itself, it just doesn't feel closed yet, to me. PW wrote on his Twitter back in September that he hoped Trespasser indicated that there would be closure forthcoming for Lavellan and Solas. In another tweet he said the relationship could be understood as "hopeful". Whatever that means, it indicates to me that my feeling is right -- the arc between the Inquisitor and Solas is not complete. I don't have any attachment to any particular outcome, tragic or otherwise, I just want to see it through -- as Lavellan.

 

That said, I do prefer new protagonists for each installment. I like that Dragon Age is about the world, not a single character. Mike Laidlaw, if I recall correctly, did express an interest in dual protagonists, it was just a matter of getting it right. Maybe DA4, which will contain the second half of the DAI story arc, will be their time to try something new. Or not. Even if Lavellan is not any sort of protagonist, even for a single scene (which I would be fine with), I'll still play DA4. 

[Fredward]

I imagine there's some time between losing your arm and finishing Trespasser, enough time for people to make surprised noises and etc.

 

As for DA4 I don't think I want a dual protag. I feel like the Quisie has a role to play but I dunno if dual protag is it.

[DreamerM]

 I don't have any attachment to any particular outcome, tragic or otherwise, I just want to see it through -- as Lavellan.

Considering DA4 seems to be behind after whatever the new IP is and Mass Effect: Andromeda... for now, I fear we may have to accept that Lavellan DID see it through, as far as she could. Without the Inquisition, and without her Fade Mark, what does she really have to offer? The things that made her The Main Character are gone. She'll do what she can with the friends she made, but it's not that hard to believe that the ultimate choice about what do with Solas is going to depend on other, more powerful, parties. Heck, even her own fate is out of her hands now.

 

[Jaison1986]

It's surprising how many people care about the Inquisitor. I mean, not like the game gave them a rich background or a memorable personality to get strongly attached to. When I first played as Trevelyan, my final thoughts on him were "well, you're nice my dear protagonist, and also incredibly dull". When I played a Lavellan that romanced Solas, it was the first time I felt any level of attachment to an Inquisitor, and that was only because she had a tragic romance with Solas. If it wasn't for that she would just be another boring protagonist that is more of a plot pusher rather then an well established character.

 

I'm for one am glad that we are likely getting a new protagonist. Hopefully BW will give them a lot more detail to their backstory and personality.

[PapaCharlie9]

I'm for one am glad that we are likely getting a new protagonist. Hopefully BW will give them a lot more detail to their backstory and personality.

But then you get all the complaints from people about, "Bioware, you're stepping on my roleplay!" Usually the same folks that don't want the PC to be voice acted. (Not judging, just observing).

I'm frankly surprised that the Inquisitor had as much backstory as they did. That said, it was kind of clever to put that backstory as a tiny blurb of text at the very beginning of CC -- instead of a full origin mini-quest, so that people can click through not reading it and pretty much roleplay whatever they wanted. Sure, there's a little follow-up dialogue, particularly with Josie, but again, optional and easy to skip if you want.

Too many opposing constituencies and requirements make for bland, neutral, offend no-one. Or, at least, only offend the ones you intend to offend, e.g., with romances.

[Nocte ad Mortem]

It's surprising how many people care about the Inquisitor. I mean, not like the game gave them a rich background or a memorable personality to get strongly attached to. When I first played as Trevelyan, my final thoughts on him were "well, you're nice my dear protagonist, and also incredibly dull". When I played a Lavellan that romanced Solas, it was the first time I felt any level of attachment to an Inquisitor, and that was only because she had a tragic romance with Solas. If it wasn't for that she would just be another boring protagonist that is more of a plot pusher rather then an well established character.

 

I'm for one am glad that we are likely getting a new protagonist. Hopefully BW will give them a lot more detail to their backstory and personality.

That's how I felt too, honestly. I thought the Inquisitor was a lot more bland than Hawke. The only thing preferable about how the Inquisitor was handled, imo, is that we got race selections. People complained about the "one note" Hawke personalities, but.. I mean, at least it was one? I hope the next protagonist lineup will have more in depth personalities, maybe an improvement on the system they used to differentiate between Hawke personalities. 

 

I really think it's not even the Inquisitor that people want back, it's just their romances and connections to existing characters. A lot of people will probably end up disappointed, anyway, because the only characters that have a high chance of coming back in DA4 in a relatively large role are Solas and maybe Dorian. Even then, there's no guarantee you'll get the kind of closure you might want with them. 

[PapaCharlie9]

I'm all for the new protagonist. Maybe I'll make an elf, just as an FU to Solas.

Very much this.

It's been suggested in another thread, but I'll repeat here: would be great if there was a big decision at the end of Act 2 (assuming the game is 3 Acts) to either join Solas or thwart him.

Joining would have the appearance of betraying everyone on your team, and maybe a major companion would die over it (ala Leliana and defiling the Sacred Ashes), so it would look like a really hard decision. But, eventually, either choice would end up going down the same path for Act 3, like pretty much every Bioware decision. Maybe Solas has a change of heart and you end up fighting for the same goal as the "good guys". But you only get that "prove Solas wrong" content if you betray your side to join him.

[Xilizhra]

Well, the Inquisitor says that their adventuring days are over, so a co-protagonist seems improbable.

 

Solas is a man who plans to destroy the entire world to restore his own. There is no way that is going to be a side story. There may be another story earlier in the game, but he will be the main goal.

I damn well hope he's not going to be the main antagonist; I'd prefer not to fight him at all.

[Jaison1986]

But then you get all the complaints from people about, "Bioware, you're stepping on my roleplay!" Usually the same folks that don't want the PC to be voice acted. (Not judging, just observing).

I'm frankly surprised that the Inquisitor had as much backstory as they did. That said, it was kind of clever to put that backstory as a tiny blurb of text at the very beginning of CC -- instead of a full origin mini-quest, so that people can click through not reading it and pretty much roleplay whatever they wanted. Sure, there's a little follow-up dialogue, particularly with Josie, but again, optional and easy to skip if you want.

Too many opposing constituencies and requirements make for bland, neutral, offend no-one. Or, at least, only offend the ones you intend to offend, e.g., with romances.

 

True, I suppose it's a matter of taste. I for one will gladly give away the ability to have certain headcanon if it means getting a richer story. Not to mention I'm more of a show, don't tell kind of guy. I prefer seeing my protagonist story firsthand. That's why I'm so attached to the Warden and Hawke, while the Inquisitor barely left a mark for me.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

That's how I felt too, honestly. I thought the Inquisitor was a lot more bland than Hawke. The only thing preferable about how the Inquisitor was handled, imo, is that we got race selections. People complained about the "one note" Hawke personalities, but.. I mean, at least it was one? I hope the next protagonist lineup will have more in depth personalities, maybe an improvement on the system they used to differentiate between Hawke personalities. 

 

I really think it's not even the Inquisitor that people want back, it's just their romances and connections to existing characters. A lot of people will probably end up disappointed, anyway, because the only characters that have a high chance of coming back in DA4 in a relatively large role are Solas and maybe Dorian. Even then, there's no guarantee you'll get the kind of closure you might want with them. 

Ugh, please no. The less like Hawke the protagonists are, the better. Easily my least favorite Bioware protagonist. Shepard is a close second after Bioware messed them up by making assumptions about the character for the players. Meanwhile the Inquisitor is my favorite so far of the recent Bioware protagonists.

 

I want the Inquisitor back for them and the story, not the companions or romances. I'm fine playing the Inquisitor and the others not showing up, just like I was in Awakening with the Warden.

[Nocte ad Mortem]

I want the Inquisitor back for them, not the companions or romances. I'm fine playing the Inquisitor and the others not showing up, just like I was in Awakening with the Warden.

Why? If it's not just Solas, what do you think the Inquisitor offers that a new protagonist couldn't? What did the Warden offer? I don't get why having the same protagonist is inherently better. For me, it just gets too overblown to always have the same person solve all the world's problems over more than a decade now. Everything important happens where they are. Nobody else in the world is more capable of solving any one problem. I think having multiple protagonists feels more organic and believable for the world.

[TevinterSupremacist]

Good riddance.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

Why? If it's not just Solas, what do you think the Inquisitor offers that a new protagonist couldn't? What did the Warden offer? I don't get why having the same protagonist is inherently better. For me, it just gets too overblown to always have the same person solve all the world's problems over more than a decade now. Everything important happens where they are. Nobody else in the world is more capable of solving any one problem. I think having multiple protagonists feels more organic and believable for the world.

I'm not saying have the Inquisitor be the protagonist for all future Dragon Age games, just this next one. The one where Bioware states Inquisition was only the first half of that story, and the second half still exists. It'd be like after Mass Effect 2 Shepard decided to stay in jail and we played as somebody else to finish with the Reapers. Especially with them making the last scene be you and the Inner Circle planning to bring down Solas and stabbing Tevinter on the map, pretty much telling the players what, where, and why the next story is about. 

 

Where are you getting this over a decade thing? Inquisition takes place the span of a year, and Trespasser two years later with them only finishing up repairing the Rifts. Hardly solving all the world's problems for over a decade. 

 

With them keep using new protagonists to deal with issues that are connected to other protagonists while having the old protagonists not help, it hurts suspension of disbelief because then where are all these other heroes and why aren't they helping? To use an example, it's like how after the Avengers when they went back to the side films every one had fans asking "Why aren't the Avengers dealing with this instead of just X?".

[Nocte ad Mortem]

I'm not saying have the Inquisitor be the protagonist for all future Dragon Age games, just this next one. The one where Bioware states Inquisition was only the first half of that story, and the second half still exists. It'd be like after Mass Effect 2 Shepard decided to stay in jail and we played as somebody else to finish with the Reapers. Especially with them making the last scene be you and the Inner Circle planning to bring down Solas and stabbing Tevinter on the map, pretty much telling the players what, where, and why the next story is about. 

 

Where are you getting this over a decade thing? Inquisition takes place the span of a year, and Trespasser two years later with them only finishing up repairing the Rifts. Hardly solving all the world's problems for over a decade. 

 

With them keep using new protagonists to deal with issues that are connected to other protagonists while having the old protagonists not help, it hurts suspension of disbelief because then where are all these other heroes and why aren't they helping? To use an example, it's like how after the Avengers when they went back to the side films every one had fans asking "Why aren't the Avengers dealing with this instead of just X?".

You said you wanted to keep playing the Warden before, and it's been over a decade from the first game, is what I was saying with that.

 

Inquisition was meant to be partially an expansion that was aimed at Hawke, but you were fine playing the Inquisitor instead, apparently. I think it functioned fine without Hawke being a major part of the plot, just an NPC that popped up for one quest. Honestly, I don't think he was even needed for that. I don't really doubt they could make it work just as well again with a new protagonist next time. 

 

I think it's easy enough to understand why the Inquisitor isn't helping. The writing actually makes it way easier to understand why they retired than either the Warden or Hawke. They were useful because they had the mark and the Inquisition. Now they have neither of those and they're down an arm. One of my Inquisitors was an archer, how does that even work out now? You have to go bigger to explain that away with something like "Varric had Bianca make you a prosthetic arm contraption" than you do to just accept they fulfilled their actual role, closing the breaches, and then retired. Solving the issue with the Evanuris is likely something that someone else is more fit to do, just like they were more fit to solve the breaches, even though Hawke had some connections to the problem.

[DreamerM]

I'm not saying have the Inquisitor be the protagonist for all future Dragon Age games, just this next one. The one where Bioware states Inquisition was only the first half of that story, and the second half still exists. It'd be like after Mass Effect 2 Shepard decided to stay in jail and we played as somebody else to finish with the Reapers. Especially with them making the last scene be you and the Inner Circle planning to bring down Solas and stabbing Tevinter on the map, pretty much telling the players what, where, and why the next story is about.

 

a more apt comparison would be Shephard remains locked in jail and someone else has to take care of the Reapers. That scene with the inner circle guarantees Quizzy is at least going to be doing stuff behind the scenes in the next game. More specifically, we see the Inner Circle post-Inquisition is refocusing as an Anti-Solas Task Force, setting them up to be active in the next game.

The Inquisitor, by the time Truspasser has ended, has made all of his or her important decisions. You decide the fate of the organization you built, and you decide to kill or save Solas. Your path is laid out. The next protagonist has to be more of a wild card.

[Jaison1986]

the most logical bet is that the Inquisitor will be your boss in DA4 and the new protagonist is their agent operating in Tevinter. Someone that "Solas doesn't know".

[Reznore57]

I want to play the Inqui again to solve Solas'mess.

But I also want to play a funny pc who's a pirate.(with a boat and a crew and everything!)

I'm not interested in dual pc either.

 

Anyway I shan't rant about the whole thing because then I'll start foaming at the mouth again.