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Dragon Age Dragon Age: The Veilguard Thread

Skinwalker

*meows in an empty room*
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Harthwain

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Group therapy/dating sim was the inevitable result as soon as RPGs stopped being about full party creation.
Not really. There are many classic RPGs where you only create your own character.

I said it before launch and I'll repeat it again: they could've just made a visual novel spinoff and see a vastly higher profit ratio + better audience reception.

Because that's what Inquisition fans wanted, more rom-com time with egg elf and other ugly characters. Instead they got a bad action adventure with horrible romances and abominations they don't even want as pretend husbandos. Oh, also they manufactured some culture war shit just to sell copies and they didn't even sell enough.
Even the mainstream Dragon Age fans agree this game wasn't made for Dragon Age fans. Or that this isn't even an RPG (because there aren't even smokes and mirrors in this game. Your "choices" literally don't matter).

I can't believe it either considering how much time I spent tard wrangling him to stay in a Good aligned party.
That reminds me how I played the good party and in order to keep some evil character in it (Edwin, I think) I just killed a beggar or two to get my reputation down a few points. There simply wasn't a good way to lower your reputation.

When I was doing an evil party and I had to keep a neutral in (as the game doesn't have full evil party, even if you count conversions), I was giving charity money to the temple, because neutrals won't stay in your party if you have too bad reputation and having too bad reputation also meant getting randomly attacked when moving through the city, which was pain in the ass. Killing beggars to offset having too good reputation from charity was also a thing.

Frankly, this was somewhat interesting and I'd love for a reputation system like that to be its own game within a game (politics of sorts).
 
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When I was doing an evil party and I had to keep a neutral in (as the game doesn't have full evil party, even if you count conversions), I was giving charity money to the temple, because neutrals won't stay in your party if you have too bad reputation and having too bad reputation also meant getting randomly attacked when moving through the city, which was pain in the ass. Killing beggars to offset having too good reputation from charity was also a thing.
It's one of the reasons I hate BG's influence system if it can be called that. I really don't mind when there's a set breakpoint toward the end of a game where party members betray or refuse to go any further if your alignment is contrary to theirs or you cross some significant Rubicon, but having to partake in "10 minutes of schizo" just to artificially keep the nerds in line is obnoxious and I'm glad games did away with it.
 

Mauman

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Harthwain has me on ignore, could someone ask what the heck does "not enough " for an evil party in BG mean?

I mean, the game gives you Xzar and Montaron right away. Kagann is also easy enough to get. Viconia doesn't take a lot to get to. That right there covers everything (as in, the 4 primary roles of healer, mage, fighter, thief) as early as chapter 1. From there if you're adventurous you can get Shar-teel (you don't need to approach the basiliks) or you can just get to chapter 2 and pick up Edwin for your final party member.

I'm seriously confused as to what he's trying to say here.
 
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R@tmaster

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3g667Fc.jpeg


Ah! Classical Bioware writing! That was the time!
Remember Undercity in Kotor?! Shakespearean beggars?
Outcast Beggar: We are the Outcasts, banished and reviled by those who dwell above!
Outcast Beggar: Here in the filth and darkness we claw out a wretched existence, scavenging and begging just to survive long enough to see another wretched day.
Girl that never seen the sky?
Shaleena: I've never been to the surface, but sometimes I think I can see it in my dreams. The sun, the sky, the stars... it all sounds so... so... so wonderful. Gendar, the leader of our village, tells me I should spend more time trying to improve things down here and less time dreaming about something I can never have. Maybe he's right. You probably think I'm a fool, having dreams of a place I've never even seen. But when I was little, Rukil used to tell me stories of what it was like up there.
And, of course,
Rukil: You – you come from the world above! Is this the time of destiny, then? Is this a portent of the salvation of my people? Or merely another false sign to mislead us from the path? Are you the herald of prophecy? The beacon to guide us through the darkness? Or are you merely another harbinger of shattered dreams and unfulfilled promises?

Dialog
Mission: Watch yourself: this guy's star chart is missing a few galaxies, if you know what I mean. Carth: Be careful... this one might be crazy enough to be dangerous.
Bastila: This old man's demeanor may seem crazed, but I sense there is a purpose behind it, a benevolent one. He is no danger to us.
Rukil: Speak to me, up-worlder! Tell me what fate you unleash upon us – salvation or damnation! Speak, up-worlder – I beg you!
1. What are you talking about, old man? 2. Uh... okay, then. Could I ask you some questions? 3. You're obviously an insane old kook.
Rukil: A question. You are uncertain. Bewildered. Perplexed. Understandable, I suppose. Even after a hundred years of life I myself still become confused at times. Rukil: Old, yes. But not insane. Oh no, not insane at all! I am as rational as any man can be after a hundred years in the filth and darkness of the Undercity!
Rukil: Perhaps I can make things more clear. Some things, at least. My name is Rukil, the oldest Outcast here in the village. Rukil Wrinkle-Skin, the children call me sometimes.
1. I'm Name. What do you want from me, Rukil? 2. Get to the point, old man!
Rukil: Once I was honoured for my wisdom, but over time the villagers fell away from the true path. Eventually there was only a single apprentice who followed me – and now she is gone, too.
1. The true path? What does that mean? 2. What happened to your apprentice? 3. I don't have time for this nonsense. 4. Okay, enough of this. So long, you crazy freak.
Rukil: No, no, no. Not yet. I must be wary. Careful. You may be a false savior. Dare I share my secrets with you? No... not until you prove yourself. Rukil: Please, a moment up-worlder. I must know if you are the one I have been waiting for. Please, I beg for your help.
1. Prove myself? How can I do that?
Rukil: My apprentice is... lost. I sent her out into the Undercity to find... well, I cannot tell you. Not yet. Sadly, my apprentice has not returned. Please, up-worlder – will you help an old man? Will you seek out my apprentice in the Undercity? Her name is Malya. I must know of her fate, whatever it may be. I must know what she... found.
1. I will help you with this, Rukil. 2. What will you give me if I help you?
Rukil: Finding her may be difficult; Malya could be anywhere in the Undercity... but if you find her I will know you to be our true savior! Only then can I reveal my secret knowledge to you.
3. Forget it, old man. I'm not interested. 2. I'm not going to waste my time looking for your apprentice! 1. I'll be back if I find anything out.
Rukil: Then... perhaps you are not the one I have been waiting for. Should you change your mind, up-worlder, speak with me again. Come to me if you learn the fate of my apprentice. Rukil: I wish you luck, up-worlder. Come speak with me again once you have discovered the fate of my apprentice.

Sometimes it feels like a life that you never lived. Life where GREAT BIOWARE MADE GREAT GAMES WITH GREAT STORIES!
 
Vatnik Wumao
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Oct 2, 2018
Messages
19,453
Harthwain,
Mauman said:
Harthwain has me on ignore, could someone ask what the heck does "not enough " for an evil party in BG mean?

I mean, the game gives you Xzar and Montaron right away. Kagann is also easy enough to get. Viconia doesn't take a lot to get to. That right there covers everything (as in, the 4 primary roles of healer, mage, fighter, thief) as early as chapter 1. From there if you're adventurous you can get Shar-teel (you don't need to approach the basiliks) or you can just get to chapter 2 and pick up Edwin for your final party member.

I'm seriously confused as to what he's trying to say here.
 

Harthwain

Magister
Joined
Dec 13, 2019
Messages
5,412
what the heck does "not enough " for an evil party in BG mean?
I was talking about Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn.

You can have:
1) Yourself.
2) Viconia (Neutral Evil).
3) Korgan (Chaotic Evil).
4) Edwin (Lawful Evil).

And that's it (unless I forgot someone). Anomen's alignment can only change to Chaotic Neutral in his personal quest. That's why there are holes you have to fill with characters of other alignments if you want to have an evil party (of sorts).

It's one of the reasons I hate BG's influence system if it can be called that. I really don't mind when there's a set breakpoint toward the end of a game where party members betray or refuse to go any further if your alignment is contrary to theirs or you cross some significant Rubicon, but having to partake in "10 minutes of schizo" just to artificially keep the nerds in line is obnoxious and I'm glad games did away with it.
I agree it has it issues, but I do think reputation as a system had potential. Planescape: Torment was way more problematic when it came to alignment shifts.
 

Mauman

Scholar
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That would make more sense.

Confusion arose from the original post referencing a BG1 character Kagain.
 

Camel

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2,811
Harthwain has me on ignore, could someone ask what the heck does "not enough " for an evil party in BG mean?

I mean, the game gives you Xzar and Montaron right away. Kagann is also easy enough to get. Viconia doesn't take a lot to get to. That right there covers everything (as in, the 4 primary roles of healer, mage, fighter, thief) as early as chapter 1. From there if you're adventurous you can get Shar-teel (you don't need to approach the basiliks) or you can just get to chapter 2 and pick up Edwin for your final party member.

I'm seriously confused as to what he's trying to say here.
He has 164 people on ignore.
 

Lyric Suite

Converting to Islam
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
58,269
I personally never found evil playthroughs that interesting but only because i tend to find evil kinda of a lazy way to add nuance. It may be fun to be a dick on occasion but i never found playing evil to be that interesting or something i ever wanted to do.

That said, if the writers just weren't good enough to actually challenge the player with real tough moral choices it's better than not having it. It's also not bad to have it in party based games because while the player may not be interested in bieng a dick themselves the challenge in dealing with a mixed aligned party can be fun in itself.
 

Semiurge

Cipher
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Messages
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Asp Hole
So basically women are more sexist than men and Riot wants to cater to their bigotry.

They're also more prone to being storyfags, so I can see why choosing a male MC would make more sense in games that are heavily designed around them. Mass Effect could be seen as one because Shepard is a renowned soldier who can intimidate and headbutt people left and right and everyone's still basically worshipping the ground he/she walks on. Playing as femShep would just make the game's world seem strangely woke because your sex has no meaning outside of romances. It's a utopian future where women can be soldiers and even Spectres, but too much gender neutrality will eat away at belief.

Harthwain has me on ignore, could someone ask what the heck does "not enough " for an evil party in BG mean?

I mean, the game gives you Xzar and Montaron right away. Kagann is also easy enough to get. Viconia doesn't take a lot to get to. That right there covers everything (as in, the 4 primary roles of healer, mage, fighter, thief) as early as chapter 1. From there if you're adventurous you can get Shar-teel (you don't need to approach the basiliks) or you can just get to chapter 2 and pick up Edwin for your final party member.

I'm seriously confused as to what he's trying to say here.
He has 164 people on ignore.

Everyone with an ignore list longer than 100 should get the safe-space tag. Infinitron 'tis a season of giving.
 

Fenix

Arcane
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Russia atchoum!

Mauman

Scholar
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Haer'Dalis was a tiefling, meaning he was evil masquerading as neutral.

:martini:

He was an NTR character. Not to mention very annoying.

Is there even a point having a bard in your party in Baldurs Gate games?
Surprisingly good at dispelling things for the first game/early second game.*

Blade was an ok fighter mage. Skald song is a pretty good buff buuuuut......

HLA song is pretty darn powerful (though it invalidates the Skald's specialty).

They get HLA traps....which are broken as fuck.

All in all they get some good stuff here and there. Fun fact - High level bards are SUPPOSED to get up to eighth level spells. I wonder why they didn't implement that for BG TOB. They can still use up to level 9 spells via scroll however.

*Quickly looked up to see if dispell/remove magic has a cap. Nope. Best dispellers outside of Inquisitors.
 

NecroLord

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
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So basically women are more sexist than men and Riot wants to cater to their bigotry.
wtf I love women now
No! Fuck women!
Yes, that's part of the plan.
Women suck!
Sure, if you convince them to do it.
Charisma/Persuasion check.
 

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