Wulfric Pinewood
Prophet
It was good game.
what a rotten way to die.It was good game.
It lost some of its grit even before the release of the first one. The original idea for the Calling was that you succumb to it fast after joining the Wardens. They just slapped a random number as a work in progress without really thinking, but when they realized that the time frame they gave the writers (around 10 years) is too generous it was too late to change it.The Calling sounds almost exactly like The Long Walk from Judge Dredd, where Judges of retirement age venture out into the inhospitable wasteland to dispense justice to the lawless in what is basically a form of ritualistic suicide. The similarities go further because in Dragon Age The Calling is known by another name - The Long Walk. Judge Dredd is a really bleak universe, so it could be indicative of what Bioware were originally shooting for. The series definitely lost some of that grit by Inquisition.
The idea is still reflected in the early trailer in which young warden goes to his ritualistic suicide.
Then it is even worse. That was an unneeded mistake for the setting. Btw 30 is max, usually it happens sooner.DAO explicitly said you have about 30 years before the Calling came calling.
I think Alistair specifically said "You've got 30 years, give or take."Then it is even worse. That was an unneeded mistake for the setting. Btw 30 is max, usually it happens sooner.DAO explicitly said you have about 30 years before the Calling came calling.
WOG from Gaider:I think Alistair specifically said "You've got 30 years, give or take."
TUK: On that note, you've said that it takes about thirty years more or less between the Joining and the Calling, ish, [DG grimaces audibly and visibly]...sorry! What can accelerate or decelerate that process if anything, or is it something you created that you now regret?
DG: It's something I put in Alistair's dialogue that I now regret! Afterwards I was like, "Wow, thirty years is a long time for that time frame." I didn't really intend when I was writing it, and only afterwards when I went back I said "Oh...I guess it does sort of implies thirty years after you take the Joining, doesn't it..." That wasn't really my intention. But it's out there now so I'm like, okay, thirty years. But the idea is also that it varies. Thirty years is the maximum that you could probably expect. It's going to vary for an individual according to their willpower and the level of their interaction with the darkspawn. During a Blight you can expect that the Grey Wardens are going to have shorter lifespans. Outside of a Blight the Grey Wardens would tend to live longer. We have instances in the game of people going on their Calling after five or ten years. Alistair's thirty year quote shouldn't be taken as gospel, that's the way I like it.
TUK: I'm really glad you said that because I took it that you wouldn't live past thirty, and it was only the fact that everybody else seemed to think it was the opposite that pulled me with them.
DG: Well, if Duncan was thirty years old, he would look pretty good for thirty. Yeah, so it's supposed to be a maximum thirty years after you take the Joining but it can vary, so I'd say the rule of thumb right now is between ten and thirty years, is the most common.
Gaider can go suck a dick (which he would actually like). Ingame, it is 30 years give or take. Until they actually rectified that ingame, that is what it is.WOG from Gaider:I think Alistair specifically said "You've got 30 years, give or take."
TUK: On that note, you've said that it takes about thirty years more or less between the Joining and the Calling, ish, [DG grimaces audibly and visibly]...sorry! What can accelerate or decelerate that process if anything, or is it something you created that you now regret?
DG: It's something I put in Alistair's dialogue that I now regret! Afterwards I was like, "Wow, thirty years is a long time for that time frame." I didn't really intend when I was writing it, and only afterwards when I went back I said "Oh...I guess it does sort of implies thirty years after you take the Joining, doesn't it..." That wasn't really my intention. But it's out there now so I'm like, okay, thirty years. But the idea is also that it varies. Thirty years is the maximum that you could probably expect. It's going to vary for an individual according to their willpower and the level of their interaction with the darkspawn. During a Blight you can expect that the Grey Wardens are going to have shorter lifespans. Outside of a Blight the Grey Wardens would tend to live longer. We have instances in the game of people going on their Calling after five or ten years. Alistair's thirty year quote shouldn't be taken as gospel, that's the way I like it.
TUK: I'm really glad you said that because I took it that you wouldn't live past thirty, and it was only the fact that everybody else seemed to think it was the opposite that pulled me with them.
DG: Well, if Duncan was thirty years old, he would look pretty good for thirty. Yeah, so it's supposed to be a maximum thirty years after you take the Joining but it can vary, so I'd say the rule of thumb right now is between ten and thirty years, is the most common.
Dragon Age: Origins has invented a new formula for cRPG. A formula that truly recreates the PnP experience.
Actually was one of the few that resisted the cutting for longest.and the lack of a typical barbarian, e.g. Chasind
Oh rly? Never knew he once worked with Bioware. Any links with more info on cut stuff?it was also written by local resident MRYActually was one of the few that resisted the cutting for longest.and the lack of a typical barbarian, e.g. Chasind
I think I linked to his post with the most info (at least the one I could find). There's also this:Oh rly? Never knew he once worked with Bioware. Any links with more info on cut stuff?it was also written by local resident MRYActually was one of the few that resisted the cutting for longest.and the lack of a typical barbarian, e.g. Chasind
Perhaps my only meaningful contribution to the game was getting them not to name the main mountain range "the Kozarks." Oh, Canada...
It's not even close by Inquisition.The series definitely lost some of that grit by Inquisition.
First day, they come and catch everyone.
Second day, they beat us and eat some for meat.
Third day, the men are all gnawed on again.
Fourth day, we wait and fear for our fate.
Fifth day, they return and it's another girl's turn.
Sixth day, her screams we hear in our dreams.
Seventh day, she grew as in her mouth they spew.
Eighth day, we hated as she is violated.
Ninth day, she grins and devours her kin.
Now she does feast, as she's become the beast.
Now you lay and wait, for their screams will haunt you in your dreams.
I hate everything about DA:I so much.It's not even close by Inquisition.The series definitely lost some of that grit by Inquisition.
When I think of grittiness in DAO, I think of the part about the brood mothers. They're created by forcefeeding females tainted flesh and presumably raping them, the first one you encounter is a dwarf female who was forcefed her family members.
First day, they come and catch everyone.
Second day, they beat us and eat some for meat.
Third day, the men are all gnawed on again.
Fourth day, we wait and fear for our fate.
Fifth day, they return and it's another girl's turn.
Sixth day, her screams we hear in our dreams.
Seventh day, she grew as in her mouth they spew.
Eighth day, we hated as she is violated.
Ninth day, she grins and devours her kin.
Now she does feast, as she's become the beast.
Now you lay and wait, for their screams will haunt you in your dreams.
royalty being described as leftist is funnyA thought came to me just now regarding the whole Bhelen vs. Harrowmont choice. So Harrowmont is supposed to be the spineless moderate, otherwise known as a liberal. And Bhelen is supposed to be the tyrant who cares about the little people, so he's essentially an authoritarian leftist. Considering how much Bioware has made it clear that they consider Bhelen to be the "correct" choice, have they basically been writing Leninist/Marxist-Leninist propaganda?
That's basically what the Communist leaders in the USSR were.royalty being described as leftist is funny
Wrong mode of production, chaver. Bhelen's siding with the Dwarven bourgeoisie against Orzammar's aristocracy and the traditional system from which the latter benefit in order for capitalism to develop (e.g. fostering trade with the outside world and removing some of the restrictions on the casteless which would in turn lead to more Dwarves being willing to abandon their traditional caste roles as well as shattering the artisanal monopoly on basic commodities by allowing for presumably cheaper imports).A thought came to me just now regarding the whole Bhelen vs. Harrowmont choice. So Harrowmont is supposed to be the spineless moderate, otherwise known as a liberal. And Bhelen is supposed to be the tyrant who cares about the little people, so he's essentially an authoritarian leftist. Considering how much Bioware has made it clear that they consider Bhelen to be the "correct" choice, have they basically been writing Leninist/Marxist-Leninist propaganda?
I can't think of anything less leftist than supporting a monarchy.That's basically what the Communist leaders in the USSR were.royalty being described as leftist is funny
Would've been a great series if they kept it non-voiced protagonist and just improved on the DA: O system instead of changing it altogether with "push a button, something awesome happens!" bullshit. I don't even know wtf happened after Origins. What I'm reading sounds like they really went a different direction altogether. DA: O really was dark as fuck, though.
It is such shame that we didn't get a sequel.
Harrowmont is not a moderate. He is a traditionalist. Unfortunately, he wasn't up for the job because he couldn't handle the stress and was weak (i.e., easily swayed, couldn't make and keep a decision, etc.). Note that Harrowmont never wanted to rule. He only stepped forward because no one else could take on Bhelen with any chance of success. His motivation was purely to stop Bhelen. It is very apparent if you played a dwarven noble.A thought came to me just now regarding the whole Bhelen vs. Harrowmont choice. So Harrowmont is supposed to be the spineless moderate, otherwise known as a liberal. And Bhelen is supposed to be the tyrant who cares about the little people, so he's essentially an authoritarian leftist. Considering how much Bioware has made it clear that they consider Bhelen to be the "correct" choice, have they basically been writing Leninist/Marxist-Leninist propaganda?