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Dragon Age: Inquisition | E3 2014 Coverage

N

NavyPharaoh

Member
Darkstorne said:
Wait, back up. What about Feynriel from Dragon Age 2 then? Elven mother, human father, clearly looks half-elf, and specifically talks about the difficulties of his appearance. In Kirkwall he is mistrusted for looking like an Elf, and with the Dalish he realizes how human he looks in comparison.

Is this some big retcon they added in the books? Because it's very clearly established in DA2 that half elves exist:

448px-Feynriel.png
Click to expand...

Sometimes I feel like DA2 was written by George RR Martin but every time it rained he'd turn into a 7 year old... And he wrote the game while in Seattle.

How you have the greatness that is act 2 yet fuck this up so utterly and completely is asinine. Good catch. I'm torn on whether to preorder it cause I was burned so bad on 2, but shit like this makes me hope they knew how bad they fucked up.
 
T

The Silver

Member
Braag said:
I'm pretty sure it's because the Warden can romance her in DAO so they don't want to make her the cheating type since the Warden can still be alive depending on your choices.
Click to expand...

hey they had Jacob leave Shepard, get your balls back Bioware, do what's best for business.

then again I did enjoy the rage when they revealed she wasn't romanceable, what a dilemma .
 
D

Darkstorne

Member
The Silver said:
maybe he's just some rare mutant

I know they said in DAO that all half elves look human as well.
Click to expand...

Well that makes this twice as interesting.

DAO - half elves look human.

DA2 - half elves look half elf.

DAI - half elves definitely look human. Ignore that last game...

I guess that's one more reason to detest the second game. Really hope they realize how royally they screwed it up, and just how much it's damaged the IP's quality. Despite being hyped for Inquisition I refuse to pre-order. I made that mistake with DA2, and since then Bioware have repeatedly been making me question their talent. They've still been making good games recently, just not great games. Certainly not "Bioware" quality games that we were all so used to.
 
D

Doctoglethorpe

Member
Considering they're abandoning a lot of the stylization choices they made in DA2, the half-elf looking guy is hardly an issue. I'm pretty sure the idea is that the whole game, story and visuals both, are supposed to be in Varric's head anyways. I know, kind of a lame excuse, but its a lame game so roll with it. Half-elf boy is just another case like Bethany's bust. Besides, he looks more like 95% human, not half. Just ignore the slightly pointy ears, big deal.

Or whatever, its a retcon of a retcon, or a mistake, it doesn't matter, he's a nobody we'll never hear of again, and Alistair's mom is an elf.
 
S

SDBurton

World's #1 Cosmonaut Enthusiast
shinobi602 said:
BsDbam_CYAAaQAz.jpg:large
Click to expand...

Still pissed that Cassandra isn't a same sex or bi option, but I can work with this I guess. :/

Deified Data said:
I really hate that we have to know everyone's sexual preference going into the game to appease everyone who's worried that their favorite character might play for the wrong team. Whatever happened to just playing the game and finding out for yourself?
Click to expand...

Idonthavetimeforthat.jpg
 
K

Kimaka

Member
The Silver said:
hey they had Jacob leave Shepard, get your balls back Bioware, do what's best for business.

then again I did enjoy the rage when they revealed she wasn't romanceable, what a dilemma .
Click to expand...

Jacob was easy since so few people romanced him. Tali and Garrus on the other hand... The rage would have been immense.
 
Cpt.Underpants

Cpt.Underpants

Member
Eurogamer DA:I info dump

Character creation

  • Described as "really in depth"
  • You'll create your Inquisitor before the big opening cut-scene
  • Can change inner and outer iris colours*
  • Can have scars*
  • Qunari horns are customisable
  • Male Qunari player model will be smaller than Iron Bull (party member) model
  • There are "a lot" of lip options
  • There are no 'body type' choices
  • Your Inquisitor will also be referred to by his or her surname. (Not clear if the surname will be set and voiced like Shepard in Mass Effect.)
  • Your background depends on your race/class choice. No dwarven mages

Customisation

  • Follower's armour will change colour as you equip new gear. Dyes are "still being looked at" for them
  • "You can use different materials to change how items look and the stats of the items, enchant them, make potions etc," wrote Lee
  • "Find the template of the new armour you want to look like, then make it from materials which give it the look and stats you want. You wouldn't modify the original armour," added Lee
  • Qunari don't wear helmets - they have a different head slot
  • Mage Inquisitors can wear heavy armour as Knight Enchanter by crafting it and then summoning weapons
  • Level-cap is 25-30
  • There are three specialisations for each class, and specialisations can affect moments in the story
  • Specialisations (filled out by Wiki): Knight Enchanter, Necromancer, Rift Mage (Mage); Artificer, Assassin, Tempest (Rogue); Champion, Reaver, Templar (Warrior)

Loot

  • There will be colour-coded loot according to rarity
  • Mounts will be earned through quests

Some have already been mentioned. I'm not sure about the companion armour, it only changes color but not its physical appearance?
 
B

BrassDragon

Member
Cpt.Underpants said:
Some have already been mentioned. I'm not sure about the companion armour, it only changes color but not its physical appearance?
Click to expand...

This was in the earlier linked summary:

Q: To what extent can we customize the armor for the companions or the whole Inquisition? For example can the companions wear the same armors as the Inquisitor or they have their own set of armor? In Dragon Age Awakening, the Warden commander could gather materials to outfit the army of the keep with better armors and weapons which lead them to be known as the Silver Order. Can the Inquisitor do the same thing?
A: You can put armor on your followers, or craft it yourself so you can make them look the way you want to look. (CL)
Click to expand...
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Wrote up my own very quick summary of things I deemed new and important from the QA based on PrincessStabbity's compilation:

Crafting:
  • Based on templates
  1. You craft via a template, you don't follow a strict recipe, making you free to use different materials and resources to craft an item. What materials you use effect the item's stats and appearance.
  2. You don't make a whole sword, but the hilt and the blade separately then combine them.
  3. You can make mage-looking armor that has the stats and bonuses befitting a rogue if you use the right materials.
  • Lots of potions and bombs can be made, including but not limited to, various Health/Mana/Stamina potions, also a Jar of Bees.
  • More to come on crafting, like whether we can dye items, if a crafting skill(s) are necessary and other information will be detailed at a later date.
  • It appears that we will not actually be able to upgrade normal weapons and armor we find in the world from chests and enemies, or ones we've already crafted, but we will be able to find templates that match their style and thus be able to craft weapons and armor that look like them, but have the stats and bonuses of our choosing.

Character Creation:
  • There is a chance of a CC demo, but there should at least be a video demonstration before release.
  • CC will be the first thing we see when starting a new game, no opening scene or anything like that.
  • They are working on getting more Hairstyles in the game, especially long ones, but it's a technical problem with things like clipping, not an asset problem.
  • They are working on making the lighting in the CC not suck and on par with in game lighting.
  • There are no body sliders, only the facial features can be altered.
  1. Most robust and detailed in a BioWare game.
  2. You can control both the Inner and Outer eye color.
  3. There are multiple lip options like ME.
  4. Qunari have various horns shapes to be selected, and controls for altering horns are still being finalized.
  • Scars are definitely in, freckles are a maybe.

Companions & Advisors:
  • The final Advisor is Josephine, she is a diplomat from Antiva, and is bisexual.
  • Advisors cannot be in your party, only companions can be selected.
  • Advisors have banter, and there is banter within your hold, not just when out and about.
  • The approval system is different from both DAO and DA2
    1. More obfuscated, focused on your deeds and words, not gifts and sliders.
    2. Both Advisors and Companions have an approval system, not totally the same.
    • Advisors cannot leave you, but depending on your actions Companions might.
    • There are no longer Universal Gifts to boost approval.
  • We can change Companion equipment but it will alter to fit their style.
  • Leliana, Josephine and Cullen are you main advisors, but there are other important followers who you will take counsel from time to time.
  • Conversations will be limited to the base and not out in the field.(Don't know if that's limited to the home base or just any base you control)
  • Who you take on quests and to different locations will affect the dialog and sometimes outcome of those quests.
  • There will be Companion quests like DAO and DA2.
  • No Mabari companion or summon.

Weapons/Armor/Loot:
  • There are no capes in DAI.
  • Qunari don't wear helmets, they have a different head slot than everyone else.
  • Normal armors still have restrictions, so you can't just put any old plate armor on your mage or rogue, but you can craft armors that don't match your class, like plate for mages.
  • You can name armor as well as weapons.
  • Weapons are class restricted. So no Bow-Mages or Dual Wielding Warriors. Companions can equip any weapon within their classes, ie Sword and Shield or Great Sword, but that's it.
    1. Varric will only use Bianca, not any other bow, but he can dual wield any daggers.
  • Mage Staves vs Glaives are no different, purely aesthetic.
  • DAI will utilize a color coding of Common to Rare items.

Mounts:
  • Followers disappear when you get on a mount, but return when you dismount.
  • No flying mounts, no Griffons.
  • Most are acquired through the plot.
  1. No minigame to corral or break them or anything like that.

Lore:
  • Each Inquisitor race has their own surname, which you will be referred to often along with the title "Inquisitor."
  1. Human- Trevelyan
  2. Elven - Lavellan
  3. Dwarven - Cadash
  4. Qunari - Adaar
  • Books and Comics aren't set in stone, depending on the character, like Wynn or Alistair, you save state will affect events in the expanded universe which will in part affect your world state in DAI.
  • Reading of the books or comics is not necessary to understanding DAI, it was created for anyone, completely new or only familiar with the games to jump in and understand the events of the game.

DA Keep & Prior Decisions:
  • DA Keep will release prior to the game's release.
  • Invites to the Keep Beta are still going out and the pool gets larger every round.
  • Major choices come with explanations and art to help jog your memory and give better context to the situation.
  • The Keep will let you choose how many choices or how few choices you want to specify.
  • If you don't want to bother with the Keep at all the game does offer a default world state where Alistair becomes King in DAO, the warden is a Female Dalish Rogue who makes the ultimate sacrifice and Hawke is a male Mage who sides with the mages.

Gameplay:
  • Combat is attempting to retain the responsiveness of DA2 while scaling back the speed and focusing more on tactics like in DAO.
  1. Attacks, defense and hits are more weighted and meaty
  2. Destruction and the environment plays a part in combat, no further details than that though.
  • Tactical camera is very robust and more than what was in DAO.
  1. Not only does it zoom in & out a great deal, fully panning around allowing you to survey the battlefield, but you can also see enemy stats, buffs, debuffs and effects, as well as movement lines.
  2. The camera is though limited in how far away it can move away from the party, so no surveying the entire world without actually moving your party around.
  • Race and Class will affect your backstory and how NPCs react to you in the game.
    1. Some specializations will also affect how NPCs react to you and affect quests and plot points, how much depends on the specialization and situation.
  • Conquering Keeps and forts affects the game world.
    1. The strength of your Inquisition can open up new dialog options.
    2. Conquering certain areas will open up new locations to explore.
  • There will be a minimap to help guide you.

    1. You can put down custom markers.
      You can mark any quest as the active quest.
  • Cross class combos are returning. ie shield bashing frozen enemies will shatter them.
  • Unbalanced parties, ie all Rogues, all Mages, all Warriors and other odd combos are up to you, and could work sometimes, but some fights will be much harder as well.
  • Elemental deaths are in the game for elemental spells and weapons. Physical death moves, ie jumping on ogres, chopping off heads are being looked at.
  • There are "things" that are very much like diplomacy/persuade skills from DAO, but they are acquired and work differently.
    1. There are no levels to them, but different degrees of knowledge that affect your ability to talk in or out of situations.
  • There is a "goodly" amount of side quests.

    1. They've attempted to contextualize them to make sense within the setting and main plot.
      Quests that will win the hearts of the people or otherwise grow your Inquisition's power. Not just collect X or Kill # of Y.
  • Inquisition HQ is much more than DAO's camp ever was, you can customize your castle, rebuild things, craft and perform research and a lot more. More info to come.
  • No weaponless combat.
  • Large amount of wildlife.
    1. Birds, wolves, rams, foxes, nugs, lizards and a lot more.
  • Inventory is still being worked on. Some items stack for free, others do not.
  • Companions will have their own unique Specializations based on their background.
    1. ie Cole's unique origin.
  • Players will only be able to pick one Specialization.
    1. There are 3 specializations per class.
    2. Knight Enchanter, Necromancer, Rift Mage (Mage); Artificer, Assassin, Tempest (Rogue); Champion, Reaver, Templar (Warrior)
  • There is a level cap of 25-30.
    1. Levels progression starts off fast but slows down as you progress.
  • The game doesn't end after the main story.
    1. They have discussed the possibility of a NG+, but do not have anything to announce right now.
  • Outside combat Warriors can bash things like walls and doors, Mages can energize things like repairing a bridge.
  • Fast Travel is limited to those areas where you have set up an Inquisition camp.
  • The roll, backflip and what not in combat are abilities that must be purchased with talent points like any other skill. Not some default roll button or anything.
  • There is a mix of new and old abilities and spells.
  • Rogues can set traps outside of combat encounters, setting up ambushes and the like.
  • Still no health regen, even outside combat.
    1. No food to regen health, just potions and spells.
  • Outside cutscenes you can be in tactical mode the whole game.
  • Game is larger than Origins.
Click to expand...
 
C

Chaos17

Member
DA Keep & Prior Decisions:

DA Keep will release prior to the game's release.
Invites to the Keep Beta are still going out and the pool gets larger every round.
Major choices come with explenations and art to help jog your memory and give better context to the situation.
The Keep will let you choose how many choices or how few choices you want to specify.
If you don't want to bother with the Keep at all the game does offer a default world state where Alistair becomes King in DAO, the warden is a Female Dalish Rogue who makes the ultimate sacrifice and Hawke is a male Mage who sides with the mages.
Click to expand...

I'm waiting for you baby, don't disapoint me, please ;)
 
L

LastNac

Member
I'm just not feeling customization in BioWare games since ME/DA2. Surnames, definitive box portraits, Voiced protagonists, etc. Doesn't even feel like I'm creating my own character anymore. No more sense of ownership that was present in DAO and KotOR.
 
K

Kimaka

Member
LastNac said:
I'm just not feeling customization in BioWare games since ME/DA2. Surnames, definitive box portraits, Voiced protagonists, etc. Doesn't even feel like I'm creating my own character anymore. No more sense of ownership that was present in DAO and KotOR.
Click to expand...

I always feel like I'm fighting the game in DA2 and ME to develop my characters the way I want to. It's things like the game taking control of the PC away from you to make them do or say things that wouldn't be in character. Or how in DA2 and ME3 the PC knew and were friends with people you had no interaction with. The return of different races in DA:I and that they said they have reduced auto-dialogue has me a bit more hopeful that it will be better this time around but I miss the flexibility of the DA:O system.
 
A

AdventureMike

Member
Perhaps has been answered before, so bear with me:

Has there been mention of whether buff/sustained abilities still limit your max mana/energy pools like in the previous two games?
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Ridesh said:
That deserves a new thread

tumblr_inline_mmsx4yboeZ1qz4rgp.gif
Click to expand...

Shinobi beat me to it, and I had it all nice and pretty too.

AdventureMike said:
Perhaps has been answered before, so bear with me:

Has there been mention of whether buff/sustained abilities still limit your max mana/energy pools like in the previous two games?
Click to expand...

I'm going to say yes, since it's how things were handled in the past, but we haven't had that confirmed or seen it first hand yet so there's still a chance things are different this time around.
 
A

anexanhume

Member
Really like what I'm hearing about crafting. I always enjoy hunting for the rare materials in elder scrolls games to build the best weapon/armor possible.
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
anexanhume said:
Really like what I'm hearing about crafting. I always enjoy hunting for the rare materials in elder scrolls games to build the best weapon/armor possible.
Click to expand...

I wonder if we will be able to break down weapons and armor for resources or even templates. The way they described crafting makes it sound like you can upgrade items you've found in the world or previously crafted, so it would be nice to get something back outside gold from those items that no longer are useful.
 
S

Squire

Banned
Gaider says he's shocked no one has guessed at Viv's VA. People are replying that it's must be Gwen Christie.

That actually sounds about right, despite the resemblance to Empress Celine.
 
T

The Silver

Member
Kimaka said:
Jacob was easy since so few people romanced him. Tali and Garrus on the other hand... The rage would have been immense.
Click to expand...

but really though the easy way is for the game to just look at your save file/DA Keep and see if your Warden romanced her or not, problem solved.
 
M

Menome

Member
Inorigo said:
Gaider says he's shocked no one has guessed at Viv's VA. People are replying that it's must be Gwen Christie.

That actually sounds about right, despite the resemblance to Empress Celine.
Click to expand...

...could it be? Could they have brought in the actual Grace Jones?
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Inorigo said:
Gaider says he's shocked no one has guessed at Viv's VA. People are replying that it's must be Gwen Christie.

That actually sounds about right, despite the resemblance to Empress Celine.
Click to expand...

Gaider replied saying it was not Gwen Christie. I have a feeling it's another BioWare vet. Maybe Kimberly Brookes, I haven't really listened to the one bit of dialog she has in the video.
 
H

Hedge

Member
I am slightly dissapointed by no body type sliders, since I'm nervous the qunari male will be too bulky. I'll just have to wait and see. At least he'll be smaller than Iron Bull. :p

I also really wonder how the Rift Mage will play, since I'm assuming it refers to the rifts, no? Sounds a bit too close to the necromancer, if so.
 
R

Renekton

Member
Hedge said:
I am slightly dissapointed by no body type sliders, since I'm nervous the qunari male will be too bulky. I'll just have to wait and see. At least he'll be smaller than Iron Bull. :p

I also really wonder how the Rift Mage will play, since I'm assuming it refers to the rifts, no? Sounds a bit too close to the necromancer, if so.
Click to expand...
Seems like classic elemental mage, since the other two mage options are melee and summons.
 
Moff

Moff

Member
I dont even want in the beta, or is this some kind of a big thing, I mean its basically just a checklist right? or is there more to it?
I just want to know that it will be there and that it works, thats all.
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
a secret-boss said:
gonna be quanari
Click to expand...

Same, probably. The news that qunari were playable was the first thing that made me think "I'm definitely gonna get this game despite my misgivings". Now that I've seen more footage and heard more information I have more to back up that choice than what race I choose, but the qunari have always been my favorite race in Thedas. My only worry is that it might lock me out of all the romances, though I suppose I'd probably have the same issue with dwarves (my plan B race).
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Moff said:
I dont even want in the beta, or is this some kind of a big thing, I mean its basically just a checklist right? or is there more to it?
I just want to know that it will be there and that it works, thats all.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's just the save import replacement. I'm fairly sure I'll screw with it for an hour or two and then not touch unless there's some big update. It's really not that big a deal at all.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
I'm replaying da2 as I wait for this game and sorry to say guys it's not nearly as bad as I remember or how gaf makes it out to be. I'm having fun once again being a smart ass to everybody.
 
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