#Dragon Age 4 Thoughts

[3gremlins]

that is fair, "dreadwolf" was weird fs. tho as far as acronym, the veilguard might be worse b/c it's either da:v (confusing, since it's not dragon age 5) or da:tv (sounds like a webisode/streaming service). at least da:d was kinda funny

agreed on anders! small hopes that the reframing of solas as not the main villain will give him nuance (or at least the possibility of nuance as a story choice maybe, they prob still want to please solas haters) but i'm not gonna hold my breath. if we don't get nuanced solas stuff, i hope we at least get a final fantasy esque boss fight where he changes into his wolfsona in a second phase finally lol.

re:mythal, hmm maybe? the stinger at the end of DAI makes me think they won't revisit mythal soon but you could be right (she has been a through line for the whole series).

I'd love for them to show the other elvish ones tho (honestly i was thinking there's so much they could do with the premise of gods pressing at the bars of their prison/getting free that i'd love to see. like go in an eldritch horror/almost fromsoft direction- like if they're already changing the dragon age format may as well go farther than mass effect lol).

Plus some of the DAI (i think in tevinter nights too? sorry all my da media bleeds together now) reveals about the elvish gods is pretty horror inspired and i'd love to see more of that/get more lore (like the implication about the creation of the halla...) Ofc there's also the tevinter old gods as well as the evanuris so i'm not sure which they mean (or if they're the one in the same- i don't think? that's ever been confirmed, some good theories in this thread tho). someone on my dash suggested dumat again since they've name dropped him before (but he's supposedly dead)

i'm sad they felt they had to course correct so much with da2 b/c honestly the reuse of environments wasn't that big of a deal to me (the people who cared were just really shouty) and it could easily have been solved by doing a more dishonored type experience for dragon age (like just make the city area more fun/bigger). otherwise da2 is super fun- the combat is fun, the characters are great, the length is pretty good (not too long/short). It's the one I replay the most personally Having better control of the outcome would have helped it a lot (see: dishonored as a model would have been good, having your choices build up for certain endings. maybe that's what they mean by Mass Effect-y? like have your choices matter more for the world state outcome/playthrough. but that's never been true for any of the DA games, you usually have to fight the same enemies regardless)

[tweet]

[elvhenguard]

Rook impressions before meeting Solas: Powerful and stubborn god who will stop at nothing to complete his goals

After meeting Solas: A sad loser man who misses his wife

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard info compilation Post 1

Post is under a cut due to length.

There is a lot of information coming out right now about DA:TV from many different sources. This post is just an effort to compile as much as I can in one place, in case that helps anyone. Sources for where the information came from have been included. Where I am linking to a social media user's post, the person is either a dev, a Dragon Age community council member or other person who has had a sneak peek at and played the game. nb, this post is more of a 'info that came out in snippets from articles and social media posts' collection rather than a 'regurgitating the information on the official website or writing out what happened in the trailer/gameplay reveal' post. The post is broken down into headings on various topics. A few points are repeated under multiple headings where relevant. Where I am speculating without a source, I have clearly demarcated this. if you notice any mistakes in this post, please tell me.

as this post hit a kind of character limit, there will probably be at least 1 more post. :)

Character Creation

CC is vast [source] and immensely detailed [source]

We will enter CC straight after Varric's opening narration [source]

You are given 5 categories to work your way through in CC: Lineage, Appearance, Class, Faction, Playstyle. Each of these has a range of subcategories within them. There are 8 subcategories within the "head" subcategory" in "Appearance" alone [source]

Lineage dictates things like race (i.e. human, elf, dwarf, qunari) and backstory [source]

Backstories include things like factions. Factions offer 3 distinct buffs each [source]

There are dozens and dozens of hairstyles [source]

There are separate options for binary and non-binary pronouns and gender [source]

"BioWare's work behind the scenes, meanwhile, goes as deep as not only skin tones but skin undertones, melanin levels, and the way skin reacts differently to light" [source]

CC has a range of lighting options within it so that you can check how the character looks in them [source]

There are a range of full-body customization options such as a triangular slider between body types and individual settings down to everything from shoulder width to glute volume [source]. There are "all the sliders [we] could possibly want". The body morpher option allows us to choose different body sizes [source]

All body options are non-gendered [source]

They/them pronouns are an option [source]

Rook can be played as non-binary [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Special, focused attention was paid to ensuring that hairstyles "come across as well-representative, that everyone can see hairstyles that feel authentic to them, even the way they render" [source]

The game uses strand hair technology borrowed in part from the EA Sports games. The hair is "fully-controlled by physics," so it "looks even better in motion than it does here in a standstill" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

In CC we will also be able to customize/remake our Inquisitor [source]

A core tenet of the game is "be who you want to be" [source]

There are presets for all 4 of the game's races (human, elf, dwarf, qunari), in case detailed CCs overwhelm you [source]

Story

The story is set 9 years since Inquisition [source]

The Inquisitor will appear [source]

Other characters refer to the PC as Rook [source]. This article says they are "the Rook" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

The prologue is quite lengthy. A narrated intro from Varric lays the groundwork with some lore and explains about Solas [source]. In this Varric-narrated opening section, the dwarf recaps the events of previous games and explains the motivations of Solas [source] (Fel note/speculation: this sounds like this cinematic that we saw on DA Day 2023)

What happens first off is that Rook, who is working with Varric, is interrogating a bartender about the whereabouts of a contact in Minrathous who can help them stop Solas. The bartender does not play nice and we are presented with our first choice: talk the bartender down or intimidate them aggressively [source]

The first hour of the game is "a luxurious nighttime romp through a crumbling city under a mix of twinkling starlight and lavish midnight blue" (Minrathous) [source]. The game begins with a tavern brawl (depending on dialogue options) and a stroll through Minrathous in search of Neve Gallus, who has a lead on Solas [source]. Minrathous then comes under attack [source] by demons [source] (Fel note/speculation: it sounds like the demo the press played is what we saw in the Gameplay Reveal). Off in the distance is a vibrant, colorful storm where Solas is performing his ritual. [source] Eventually we come upon Harding. [source] and Neve. Rook and co enter a crumbling castle, where ancient elf secrets pop up, "seemingly just for the lore nerds". [source] Then we teleport to Arlathan Forest, have a mini boss fight with a Pride Demon, and there is the climactic confrontation with Solas. After a closing sequence, at this point it is the end of the game's opening mission. [source] (Fel note/speculation: So the Gameplay Reveal showed the game's opening mission)

The action in the story's opening parts starts off quite quick from the sounds of things: the devs wanted to get the player right in to the story. because, “Especially with an RPG where they can be quite lore-heavy, a lot of exposition at the front and remembering proper nouns, it can be very overwhelming.�� [source]

BioWare wanted to make the beginning of Dragon Age: The Veilguard feel like the finale of one of their other games [source]

Rook's Faction will be referenced in dialogue [source]

Minrathous is beautiful, with giant statues, floating palaces, orange lantern glow and magical runes which glow green neon. These act "like electricity" as occasional signs above pubs and stores [source]

The story has a lot of darkness tonally. These dark parts of the game contain the biggest spoilers [source]. However, the team really wanted to build in contrast between the dark and light moments in the game, as if everything is dark, nothing really feels dark [source]

Our hub (like the Normandy in ME or Skyhold in DA:I) is a place called The Lighthouse [source] (Fel note/speculation: I guess this screenshot shows the crew in The Lighthouse? ^^)

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Decisions from previous DA games will be able to be carried over, it will just work a bit differently this time [source]. The game will not read our previous saves. For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

Characters, companions, romance

Varric is a major character [source]

Every companion is romanceable [source]

BioWare tried to make each character's friendship just as meaningful, regardless of romance [source]

If you don't romance a character, they may end up romancing each other [source]

There will be some great cameos [source]. Some previous characters are woven into the game [source]

Companion sidequests/optional content relating to companions is highly curated when it involves their motivations and experiences [source]

We could permanently lose some companions depending on our choices [source]

Our choices can influence if characters get injured and what they think about us [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc

Each class (warrior, rogue, mage) has 3 specializations. The ones for Rogue are duelist, saboteur and Veil ranger [source]. (Fel note/speculation: Veil ranger reminds me of Bellara. Maybe this is her 'spec' too?)

Duelist gameplay involves a sharp combination of dashes, parries, leaps, rapid slashes and combos [source]

Faction-related buffs include being able to hold an extra potion or do extra damage against certain enemies [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Playstyle settings include custom, distinct difficulty settings for options as granular as parry windows, meaning "players who might fancy that playstyle but typically struggle with the finer points of combat can give it a go" [source]

Combat mechanics is a mix of real-time action and pause and play. Pausing brings up a radial menu split into 3 sections: companions to the left and right, Rook's skills at the bottom, and a targeting system at the top which helps get in focus on certain enemies. [source]. In the pause system you can queue up your whole party's attacks [source]

Tapping or holding the shoulder button pauses the game, allowing us to stop the action and issue orders to companions [source]

There is a system of specific enemy resistances and weaknesses [source]. Weaknesses and resistances plays a big role in combat and abilities are designed to exploit these accordingly [source]. An example is that "one character might be able to plant a weakening debuff on an enemy, and another enemy might be able to detonate them" [source]

There is a vast skill tree of unlockable options [source]

You can set up specific companions with certain kits, e.g. to tackle specific enemy types, to being more of a support, or as flexible all-rounders [source]

Healing magic returns [source]

Abilities can change together with elaborate results, e.g. one companion using a gravity well attack that sucked enemies together, another using a slowing move to keep them in place, and Rook using a big AOE to catch them all at once [source]

A shortcut system lets you map a few abilities to a smaller pinned menu at the bottom of the screen [source]

There are class-specific resource systems. For example, Rogue has "momentum", which builds up as Rook lands consecutive hits [source]

Each class will always have a ranged option [source]

Rogue Rook can do a sort of 'hip fire' option with a bow, letting you pop off arrows from the waist [source]

Warriors can throw their shield at enemies, and can build an entire playstyle around that using the skill tree [source]

There is light platforming gameplay [source]

The game runs on the latest iteration of the Frostbite engine [source]

The game targets 60 fps

On consoles it will feature performance and quality modes so we can choose our preferred visual fidelity [source]

The game is mission based [source]. Some levels that we go to do open up, some with more exploration than others. "Alternate branching paths, mysteries, secrets, optional content you're going to find and solve." [source]

Everything is hand-touched, hand-crafted and highly curated [source]

Some sidequests and optional content is highly curated, especially when it involves the motivations and experiences of the companions. In others we may be investigating for example a missing family, with an entire open bog environment to search for clues and a way to solve the disappearance [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc continued, after the above bullet list hit a character limit

There is sophisticated animation cancelling and branching. Gameplay is action-like, and the design centers around dodging, countering, and using risk-reward charge attacks designed to break enemy armor layers [source]

The dialogue wheel returns [source]. It gives truncated summaries of the dialogue options rather than the full line that the character is going to say [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

We can play the game fully offline [source]

There are no microtransactions [source]

The game itself is not as cell-shaded in look as the first trailer looked [source]

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

[eva-taash]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅 : 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒔 "𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦…"

[wanderingjedi77]

NPC's I wish we could have flirted with in Veilguard or kissed, but were robbed of

Ashur

That bar keep lady at the start

Teia (she literally hits on our Rook okay)

Solas (If sollalevallan doesn't happen, would have loved to flirt with him just to make him stumble over his words and throw him off)

Maevaris Tilani

Tarquin

That one Venatori that has a crush on Rook

Irelin (cannot stress this enough she is so pretty)

[galedekarios]

Veilguard The Necropolis In these first concepts for the Necropolis, I thought of it as an inverted Tower of Babel. Instead of seeking knowledge and power from the stars, the Mortalitassi are seeking it in the grave.

[source]

[rabid-raygun]

Saw this on twitter but with a critical error so here have the fixed version lol

[thevulturesquadron]

This is a good time to talk again about how important the relationship between the Inquisitor and Solas is, regardless if it's a romantic one or not (maybe with even more weight and clarity on Solas’ character when it’s not the romance version because there’s less of those muddy feelings).

The way their connection, the trust and respect they have for each other, form and take shape during Inquisition is so organic and meaningful. Fen’Harel is a prideful bastard who doubles down on the things he knows even if they are wrong because he thinks it’s on him to fix them, and his arrogance keeps him blind to other options. But Solas, the one that walked by the Inquisitor’s side is, at the end of Trespasser, giving the Inquisitor the chance to ‘live well while time remains.’ But he knows them, he knows that the Inquisitor won’t be spending that time running away from this. That is Solas’ way of asking for help without saying ‘Please, don’t let me be right. Please find another way. Time is all I can give, see you at the end.’

And that is one amazing and strong connection, and a proof of trust, maybe even more so if the Inquisitor is not of elven origin, but a dwarf, qunari or human.

This isn’t meant to take away something from anyone. It's just that a lot of the focus in these online conversations falls on a Lavellan relationship or a romantic relationship, and the story of the inquisitor and Solas has more nuance to it, an often less talked about one.

[doriansbutt]

thinking about both sides of Neve choices where yeah you can have her have the absolute worst time by picking her in the beginning, choosing Treviso, and then picking her in the end

but what about when she’s the only one to continually make it out unscathed? watching Harding and Varric and Rook get fucked up during Solas’s ritual, either seeing Treviso suffer or being one of the very very few Shadow Dragons to make it out alive, watching Bellara get snatched…all knowing she was a second away from facing that disaster herself. The survivor’s guilt.

[mostwantedpotato404]

I suspect you have questions

[feyunir]

One thing I love about Dragon Age is how much you can learn about your companions by paying attention to their facial expressions and body language.

So I have taken a closer look at Emmrich. Most of my impressions of him will be from before the 16th September, as I have largely been avoiding spoilers since then.

As far as I can tell he has 3 character models. High, medium and low polygon count. Not important, but I think they look slightly different so I thought it was interesting as it might affect his expressions.

Let's take a look at his "Victory pose" as I'm calling it. Usually shown when he is out in the field. He looks confident, and gives the impression he enjoys being out and about. Fighting with confidence. I think he loves magic.

Next, in conversation with all the companions. He seems happy. Give the impression he is having fun figuring out their current dilemma. His scholar is showing. Let's call this his "scholar pose" lol. Even when wearing his resting b***h face he is clearly paying attention, looking at whoever is talking. His posture is open and friendly, exposing his chest and not crossing his legs.

Alone with Rook however we see a different side of him. He has long periods of time when he isn't looking at Rook at all. Coming of as a little reserved. He has his arms resting crossed in the front. Politely present, but respectfully distant. I call this his "Funeral priest pose". I have been to way too many funerals lately and that's generally how the priest was standing. Maybe they always stand like that, but I don't go to church so I wouldn't know.

Judging by how empty the shelves in the back of the clip is, he hasn't been at the Lighthouse long.

Another thing that I noticed was when Rook says "A Watcher's work is never done", he looks sad? At first I thought he is sad because of the never ending stream of death, but then it occurred to me maybe it could be taken more literal. As in, once a Watcher, always a Watcher? Once a Watcher dies, their body/skeleton is being put back to work? We know from The Flame Eternal that Emmrich thinks it would be romantic to be buried with the one you love. Maybe he is sad because he knows that even if he found that someone, being buried with them is something he can't have as long as he is a Watcher. Just a thought.

Next is his "Nope pose". I'm not sure what to make of this one lol. The game clearly has NPC - player head tracking. Emmrich is turning his head and looking at the approaching Rook. Only to do an extreme NOPE turn when they come within talking distance. I'm willing to blame game mechanic on this one, but even then he is a bit strange. He is just standing there to the left of the fireplace, clearly not warming himself. Just standing there looking up at the roof. If anyone have any thoughts on this one I'd like to hear them xD

From his V&V episode we know he is very kind and polite. Probably to the point he became a bit naive and easy to take advantage of. A friend of mine said he came across as potentially having mild Autism. Interesting thought, and I can see where they're coming from, but I don't like slapping labels on ppl so I'm going to leave it in the theory box. All in all he seems confident in his choice of work field, fighting/magic/scholarly, but a bit distant or reserved when in one on one situations.

[beaulesbian]

it was fun bringing both emmrich and davrin to the gloom howler quest, while being a grey warden and romancing emmrich

[vixnovacoda]

Been thinking about Emmrich and Rook getting married post-game lately, and I don't believe Emmrich would propose first. Even if he has worked on his fear of dying, he doesn't want to widow Rook (for Lich!Rich, I put it to making their relationship more tangible which would weigh heavy on his heart like the wedding band around his finger. He doesn't want to feel that pain all over again), at least he wouldn't unless Rook wanted to cause Rook is that person who he wants to be with until his last days. Rook is who he wants to be there at the end of it all. So Rook is the one who asks for Emmrich's hand. Rook is why Emmrich says yes.

Now the rings, the jewellery Emmrich wears is his funeral dowry, it's all gold, he's taking it with him to the grave - a grave he will gladly share with his beloved - and there is one ring he has that would suit the occasion since he'd love nothing more than to be buried alongside Rook one day. He exchanges that ring for the one Rook brings, a silver one, because what do you get for the man who always wears gold? Something he doesn't already have, something that will stand out on his hand as not some jewellery or funeral dowry, but a promise made to cherish another for as long as they both shall live; silver.

[felassan]

(๑•ᴗ•๑) if your Dragon Age elf OCs were elves that had manifested from being spirits rather than elves that had been born, what kind of spirit would they each have been?

[preciouslittlewatcher]

Rook being the only person who gets to see Emmrichs bedhead when they wake up or him wearing anything that doesn't come up to his neck is so aaaaa

[askfordoodles]

You know how Emmrich had some spirits haunt that scammer's ass, so he'd change his ways...

You know what would be a kinda cuter interpretation?

If he DIDN'T even ask them.

They just do that of their own accord, cuz they've been his friends since childhood and they feel that protective older sibling urge to threaten anyone who hurts his feelings >:)