Dragon Age Central

Quote: Posted 10/09/09 20:34 (GMT) by Althernai

But it doesn't change the question. The Witches of the Wild have been living in Chasind territory for centuries. What gives the Templars the right to go in there and impose their fanatical brand of religion on the region? They're sole justification so far appear to be "the Maker is on our side" under which is the implicit "might makes right". I guess there's nothing wrong with it (except that they've appeared to run into somebody with more might just about now...), but isn't this the classically evil point of view?

You know... the stories the Chasind tell of the Witch of the Wilds aren't happy stories, right? They don't have tales of Flemmeth throwing birthday parties and being nice to people. They pass down stories of their sons and husbands stolen by the witch. Men out hunting to feed their families killed with fear by the daughters of Flemmeth. She's not an accepted and cherished quirk of their culture, she's the monster that mothers frighten their children into behaving with. They don't want her in their backyard any more than the Fereldens do.

What makes the Templars feel justified in hunting her? I don't know, isn't slaying the monsters that terrorize innocent people one of the things knights are supposed to do? Go figure.

Quote: Posted 10/09/09 00:27 (GMT) by Kyari

Thank you for posting.

Hm, makes me wonder one thing though. What are your party members doing while your PC is getting some "stress relief" at the brothel?

They sit in the lobby. I like to imagine that there are magazines in there, like the ones you find around the dentist's office. Maybe a couple of fish tanks. Probably not, considering Ferelden's literacy rate, lack of printing presses, and general dearth of aquarium supply shops, but still, a girl can dream.

And yes, for those who asked, you can choose race as well as gender when hiring a prostitute. They come out in a group and line up, you select them from the line. Unless you pick "surprise me" when the madam asks what you'd like to see. Then all bets are off.

Don't get too worked up about it. Much of the piece seemed fairly tongue-in-cheek. (Circling the swords on the book covers? Yeah.) Just take it as a joke.

Quote: Posted 10/06/09 05:12 (GMT) by JEBesh

Oghren doesn't actually exist. He is a myth; an evil plot by the devs to tease those of us who like dwarves and Steve Blum.

Oghren is like a unicorn* only the pure of heart can see him.












*Ha ha. No. He really isn't. Not even a little.

Quote: Posted 10/02/09 22:29 (GMT) by Janan Pacha

I was noticing a lack of a "poor human" or some form of rogue-ish background for humans (though I do understand the noble can be a rogue, etc). I just tend to stay away from other races, besides human, in any game I play unless there's something truly unique about them (not more elves and dwarves).

So I have to ask, and wonder, is there a possibility of further origins (and not just for humans, it's obviously not all about me)?

As is, of course, we have two origins per race, but it really would be nice to see more than that, even if it's something I have to pay for (due to the effort that must be put into it).

So, basically, in short: "Are extra DLC origins, down the road, a possibility?"

(Or in an expansion?)

Anything is possible, in that vague, theoretical sense of the word "possible." But Origins are one of the most costly and difficult things for us to add in late, making it extremely improbable that more will ever be added as DLC. It could happen. But I think this would require the invention of a time machine, or the discovery of a hitherto unnoticed giant pile of gold dubloons in the breakroom or something similar in order for us to pull it off.

Quote: Posted 10/02/09 20:36 (GMT) by Kamensky

After doing a bit of research, I think I may have found Leliana's VA.
French actress Corinne Kempa sounds a lot like her and fits the description given by the devs.

Good catch.

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 21:30 (GMT) by TheTimestreamer

Hello all,
Just finished playing Mass Effect for the first time(finally got it to work on a new pc...) and was about to start my second playthrough.
However, since I already know most of the main story line, I found myself going through the motions a lot.

In DA all of us will probably play at least twice. Will the main story line get any different? Or will the Big Bad always have the same plan, with only minor and cosmetic changes?
Personally, I'd love to see the main story change according to the origin...

The main story is the same, but there are some completely different paths and resolutions for the various plots, and there are some dramatic differences to the plots based on origin.

For example: Everyone will go to Orzammar during the course of the game. But for the dwarves, this is a homecoming, and the Dwarf Noble gets a completely different reaction from all the major characters in the city than the Dwarf Commoner, who is returning home as someone who has risen from the filth of the streets to become a hero, and both have a much more personal connection to the plot there than the Human Noble or the City Elf.

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 21:04 (GMT) by imported_beer

Then...what does a nug look like. Will we have to wait until the game comes out, or are you guys planning on having a something not formidable up in the creatures section of the site?

Nugs sound really cute. I want to see them and I am sure I am not the only one. Please would you and your team consider featuring nugs?

You'll know it's a nug when you see one. They're pink, for one thing, and have ears like a rabbit.

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 05:54 (GMT) by PsychoBlonde

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 05:51 (GMT) by Mary Kirby
Ancient history is murky, and having come before writing, has no records.

Really? So the original Tevinter Imperium was like ancient Sumerian civilization? They INVENTED WRITING?

Oh, probably they stole it from the elves. But that still counts as inventing it.

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 05:40 (GMT) by Lurklen


So does that mean the Chantry's assertation that the Old gods seduced man from worshiping the Maker is false?

Who knows? Nobody remembered worshiping the Maker before, but then, nobody remembers coming to Thedas from somewhere else and stealing the continent from the elves. Ancient history is murky, and having come before writing, has no records.

Quote: Posted 10/01/09 04:50 (GMT) by Vaeliorin

Okay, now I'm curious. If they hadn't heard of the Maker, what was human religion like before the spread of the worship of the Old Gods (which I assume had something to do with the spread of the Tevinter Imperium)?

I was all set up to support the Chantry, but this changes everything. If the Magisters weren't intentionally going against some divine rule because of their hubris, it pokes all kinds of holes in the Chantry's "magic is evil and mages are bad. They caused all this badness on purpose by listening to the Old Gods" schtick.

They worshiped the Old Gods. Who weren't old at the time. They were just gods. The story goes something like so*:

Dumat, the greatest of the gods of Tevinter, calls up his buddies, the magisters and says, "Dudes! You know that city you can see from everywhere in the Fade but can't reach? You totally need to go there! It's filled with candy!"

The magisters love candy. So they spend a ridiculous amount of time, money, slaves, and effort to break into the Golden City.

No candy is found. Bummer.

The magisters who are not now horrific monsters destroying everything call Dumat up to ask him what he did that for, but Dumat is totally not answering his phone. The people of Tevinter are really ticked off at Dumat and the rest of their gods.

Centuries later, Andraste shows up. She says, "Hey, remember Dumat? Yeah, he's not actually a god, he's just a jerk-face god impersonator. The real god? You guys totally broke into his house. The dude is pissed. Nice going, guys."





*Actual story does not contain candy, phones, or the word "dude."

Quote: Posted 09/30/09 22:54 (GMT) by Gena Ma'fer

So the black city in the fade is the old Golden City?

Ah.

And so is the Golden City blackened
With each step you take in my Hall.
Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting.
You have brought Sin to Heaven
And doom upon all the world.
-- Canticle of Threnodies 8:13

Guys, try to be polite to new posters.

Quote: Posted 09/30/09 21:27 (GMT) by stevej71393

Quote: Posted 09/30/09 21:08 (GMT) by Mary Kirby

Andraste wasn't born until about -195 Ancient. Nobody would have heard of the Maker prior to that.

Then...how did the mages know about the Golden City...?

They could see it? It's right there, in the Fade.

Quote: Posted 09/30/09 13:39 (GMT) by Tekbear

from what i understand the Tevinter Imperium was mainly following the old gods then. but how much did the commoners know about the practice of blood magic for example? did the elven slaves know they were being captured to be killed off in rituals? was that just at the peak of the imperium when the magisters opened the gate to the golden city or did they practice blood magic to such an extent long before that?
i imagine the Imperium a little bit like **** germany in terms of making it's citizens believe they are the chosen people but really being very ruthless and powerhungry.
how was the Imperium organized politically? was there somekind of secret police to keep people in line?

If you're setting this at -400 Ancient, that's within a few years of the magisters' assault on the Golden City.

The Imperium was a mageocracy. The Archon was basically a combination emperor/First Enchanter. You don't need a secret police when your entire ruling class consists of mages who can walk through people's dreams, collect their secrets, and influence their thoughts.

Commoners didn't know anything about the practice of magic. It was something for the ruling class, and anything they learned about what went on in the towers of the magisters was third or fourth-hand rumor.

Quote: was there a movement that would still believe in the maker? i would think so and propably it was pretty big too - what do you think? it was propably very different from the chantry today but i guess it must have been there - how fanatic was it? or was it more of a commoners belief that the maker would put things right at some point?

Andraste wasn't born until about -195 Ancient. Nobody would have heard of the Maker prior to that.