Dragon Age

[Gorth]

Start of old thread

End of old thread

 

Dark Heroic thread continues...

[Aristes]

@ Wombat: I think the Witcher did a fine job with the story, but the highlight certainly wasn't the racist humans idea. In fact, as social commentary, I thought it pretty much sucked. On the other hand, the story did work and it was fun. The Witcher also had other elements that switched things around enough to make it fun. In fact, Fio and Gorth suggested it and I purchased it, played it, and enjoyed it greatly. What gets me is that the Witcher probably broke with the staid fantasy setting far more than Dragon Age will. Of course, I can't be certain until they release it, but that's my personal take as that's been my personal experience. Doesn't mean I won't get it. There's a pretty even chance I'll buy the title depending on what I hear from folks around this place. I've been pretty happy with the suggestions I've gotten so far.

[Wombat]

@ Wombat: I think the Witcher did a fine job with the story, but the highlight certainly wasn't the racist humans idea. In fact, as social commentary, I thought it pretty much sucked. On the other hand, the story did work and it was fun. The Witcher also had other elements that switched things around enough to make it fun. In fact, Fio and Gorth suggested it and I purchased it, played it, and enjoyed it greatly. What gets me is that the Witcher probably broke with the staid fantasy setting far more than Dragon Age will. Of course, I can't be certain until they release it, but that's my personal take as that's been my personal experience. Doesn't mean I won't get it. There's a pretty even chance I'll buy the title depending on what I hear from folks around this place. I've been pretty happy with the suggestions I've gotten so far.

If you are saying that the setting of the Witcher is awkwardly stuck somewhere between classic Roman pragmatism vs Celtic romanticism and modern global capitalism vs "terrorism", then, I'd agree with you. I, too, found the depiction of elven society is not convincing due to their overly romantic narcissism. Although the world was quite atmospheric, the supposed parallelism to modern society in the Witcher is not enough convincing in some other areas, too. Generally speaking, such parallelism is more suitable to Sci-Fi than to fantasy genre. And now, Bioware is trying to combine realism with epic fantasy...

 

In any case, the stories and characters from Bioware are not my cup of tea and, if I'm going to buy Dragon Age, it is just for tactical combat. At least, I should be happy with the lack of the morality slider and the consequent repetitive and pointless "choices."

[Oner]

By the way, are there other origins known besides the dwarf whatever, the city elf and the human noble?

 

 

There are sex origins:

Human noble

City Elf

Dalish Elf

Mage

Noble Dwarf

Commnon Dwarf

Tank you.

[Maria Caliban]

I live to serve!

 

A run down for those of us just join us:

 

Dragon Age: Origins is a single-player, party-based computer RPG coming out for the PC and XBox 360 around November of this year. You control yourself and three other companions as you explore the dark, heroic world of Ferelden as a Grey Warden, an elite warrior group dedicated to fighting the Blight.

 

Dragon Age: Origins features a new ruleset, not based on any PnP system.

 

The Origins are the 'first chapter' of play, which introduces you to the world and your place in it. You can be male or female for each one. They are:

Human Noble (fighter or rogue) - You are the youngest child of Ferelden nobility.

Mage (human or elf) - In a nation that hates mages, you were raised in the Circle Tower under the eyes of the militant Templers.

Dalish Elves (fighter or rogue) - The remnants of the second elven homeland, your clan wanders the land, keeping out of the way of the authorities.

City Elf (fighter or rogue) - You've lived your life a second class citizen in an elven alienage, and now it's time for your arranged wedding

Dwarven Noble (fighter or rogue) - You're a dwarven noble trying to survive the political machinations of your homeland.

Dwarven Commoner (fighter or rogue) - You're part of the underclass. Your face is branded, and the popular religion teaches you have no soul.

 

After the origin story, you

Edited June 24, 2009 by Maria Caliban

[Mamoulian War]

After the origin story, you’ll join the Grey Wardens in their effort to fight the Blight. The Blight is a horde rotting-looking humanoid things that surge out of the ground, kill everything in their path, and corrupt the land. They’re led by an archdemon, which the Chantry teaches is a corrupted Old God

 

where did i heard story like that???

 

 

 

oh yeah warcraft III

[Maria Caliban]

Yes, it's a land under seige by a supernatural army lead by a powerful creature.

[Aristes]

Ho Hum. Elves have their downfall, of course. At least the Dwarves don't appear to be on the decline... yet. Doesn't sound like a break from the norm that Bio touted as DA so far. I have to agree with my batty friend, tho. I like the sound of the combat. Even same ol' tactical combat sounds like fun to me.

[Maria Caliban]

According to Dalish legends, Elvhenan once dominated the lands of Thedas. They were beautiful, pure, immortal, beloved of the gods, in touch with nature, and wise beyond measure. When the humans of the Tevinter Imperium appeared, they became friends, but found that interacting with humanity caused them to lose their immortality. They isolated themselves but the humans of the Imperium went to war with them, destroyed the elven homeland and enslaved them.

 

After the first Blight, Andraste blamed the immoral magical practices of the Imperium for the problem and led a crusade (or barbarian invasion) against them. The elves rebelled, helping her take several cities, and were rewarded with the Dales, the second elven homeland.

 

The Dalish elves were formed when the Chantry, the religion of Andraste, decided the elves were heathens and led an Exalted March against their kingdom. The Dalish elves are refuges from that war.

[Aristes]

So, this setting is different because the elves were smashed and enslaved... twice? I'd better read this thread again after I've had more than twenty minute's sleep and see if maybe I'm being too critical.

[Oner]

And humans can disrupt immortality by shaking hands. Wohoo!

[Maria Caliban]

So, this setting is different because the elves were smashed and enslaved... twice? I'd better read this thread again after I've had more than twenty minute's sleep and see if maybe I'm being too critical.

 

The elves were smashed twice, enslaved once, though they're only slaves in the reminants of the Imperium. The Dalish elves aren't slaves or servents.

 

Aristes, I get it that you want a 'different' setting, but Thedas isn't meant to be a 'different' setting. It's meant to be BioWare's take on fantasy. They have elves, dwarves, dryads, werewolves, undead, dragons, and hordes of evil; they're not attempting to rewrite fantasy, just recast it in ways they find interesting.

 

And humans can disrupt immortality by shaking hands. Wohoo!

 

According to the Bible, snakes can disrupt immortality by chatting with them.

[Meshugger]

Hopefully one can enslave humanity as an elf.

 

And regain your immortality of course, that would be awesome.

[HoonDing]

I can imagine at the end of the game, there will be an option to join the Uber Bad Guy (who's apparently a demon in dragon form) instead of fighting it. Maybe one would even be able to use the dragon as a steed in the next game, in Eragon-fashion.

 

The setting of DA is typically just another variation of what Tolkien penned down. Tolkien Lite

[Purkake]

I can imagine at the end of the game, there will be an option to join the Uber Bad Guy (who's apparently a demon in dragon form) instead of fighting it. Maybe one would even be able to use the dragon as a steed in the next game, in Eragon-fashion.

 

The setting of DA is typically just another variation of what Tolkien penned down. Tolkien Lite

[Monte Carlo]

I'm sure you'll get to the option to enslave nations via ponderous cut-scenes.

[Aristes]

You want ponderous cut-scenes? Play Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth. I'm enjoying it despite some of the most baffling decisions I've seen in a computer game. Once you realize it's a puzzle adventure game with some fps combat thrown in, it's got some real good qualities to it.

 

As for the setting, I get you Maria. I had honestly thought that Bioware said they were doing something remarkable and new. It occurs to me that it's kind of remarkable for anyone to do something that isn't licensed. For that, I should give them some credit. On the other hand, I do get tired of that particular motif. The 'demi-humans' on the decline. The humans on the rise. Either it looks like the non humans are weak and pathetic or the humans are ugly brutes. Actually, it ends up looking like both much of the time.

 

I liked some of the ideas in that Troika fantasy game I can't remember. Steampunk. Anyhow, the elves are actually younger. ...Or Shannara, where the other races are mutants except for humans and elves.

 

I think it would be cool if there were one where the dwarves were the ancient race and humans were the young race. The dwarves basically run everything as an empire, which they conduct with brutal efficiency and well. Elves are actually mutated humans who have undergone some sort of magically expedited evolutionary process. They are long lived, quite fertile, and growing in number. They are so beautiful and durable that humans feel inferior and it's caused an epidemic of hopelessness among the human population. The dwarves feel threatened by this quickly growing evlish population and forge a tenuous alliance with humanity to subdue or even destroy the elves. Hell, let the player choose to play either a member of the dwarven alliance or one of the elves.

 

Of course, I'm just jawin' here, so don't take that 'setting' too seriously. I'm just saying that there are more options than "humans rise and 'demi-humans' fall and then the humans and what's left of the non humans face the UBG."

[Meshugger]

You want ponderous cut-scenes? Play Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth. I'm enjoying it despite some of the most baffling decisions I've seen in a computer game. Once you realize it's a puzzle adventure game with some fps combat thrown in, it's got some real good qualities to it.

 

As for the setting, I get you Maria. I had honestly thought that Bioware said they were doing something remarkable and new. It occurs to me that it's kind of remarkable for anyone to do something that isn't licensed. For that, I should give them some credit. On the other hand, I do get tired of that particular motif. The 'demi-humans' on the decline. The humans on the rise. Either it looks like the non humans are weak and pathetic or the humans are ugly brutes. Actually, it ends up looking like both much of the time.

 

I liked some of the ideas in that Troika fantasy game I can't remember. Steampunk. Anyhow, the elves are actually younger. ...Or Shannara, where the other races are mutants except for humans and elves.

 

I think it would be cool if there were one where the dwarves were the ancient race and humans were the young race. The dwarves basically run everything as an empire, which they conduct with brutal efficiency and well. Elves are actually mutated humans who have undergone some sort of magically expedited evolutionary process. They are long lived, quite fertile, and growing in number. They are so beautiful and durable that humans feel inferior and it's caused an epidemic of hopelessness among the human population. The dwarves feel threatened by this quickly growing evlish population and forge a tenuous alliance with humanity to subdue or even destroy the elves. Hell, let the player choose to play either a member of the dwarven alliance or one of the elves.

 

Of course, I'm just jawin' here, so don't take that 'setting' too seriously. I'm just saying that there are more options than "humans rise and 'demi-humans' fall and then the humans and what's left of the non humans face the UBG."

 

I, Meshugger, approve of this message.

[Oner]

The Troika game is Arcanum by the way. Which I'll finally be able to play next month.

 

Neat setting you thought of by the way.

[Maria Caliban]

I can imagine at the end of the game, there will be an option to join the Uber Bad Guy (who's apparently a demon in dragon form) instead of fighting it.

 

I'd guess otherwise on both counts. The Blight is mindless while I suspect the Archdemon has too alien a mind to make deals.

 

 

The setting of DA is typically just another variation of what Tolkien penned down. Tolkien Lite

[Aristes]

Hey, I'd rather not have elves. I like 'em well enough. I just think it would be refreshing to have a fantasy game without them. ...But I'm actually leaning a little towards getting the game. Probably not on release, but it really helps to get my disappointments out of the way early. That way, I go in knowing what I'm getting and it usually makes me very happy with what I get. haha

[Dark_Raven]

Nonsense. Elves are the best thing in a fantasy setting.

 

Dragon Age looks promising something I will have to get when I can afford it.

[Purkake]

Nonsense. Elves are the best thing in a fantasy setting.

 

Dragon Age looks promising something I will have to get when I can afford it.

 

They should have called it Elf Age then...

 

OT: Didn't you go AWOL some time ago?

Edited June 24, 2009 by Purkake

[Dark_Raven]

Well its not like you can play as a dragon.

 

I'm only back briefly. Using a friends computer.

[Purkake]

Well its not like you can play as a dragon.

 

I'm only back briefly. Using a friends computer.

 

But what if you could? Think of the possibilities!

 

Hope you get internet soon