#also for the record I like Anders

[fenrisdefender]

Selling Fenris to slavery isn’t presented as an “evil playthrough” option in Dragon Age because doing an “evil” playthrough in DA2 doesn’t exist the way it exists in franchises like BG3. And blocking me bc I politely explained that to you doesn’t make it go away?

There are no consequences for selling Fenris back into slavery really. You’re rewarded with gold, and your companions - astoundingly - won’t up and kick your ass to the curb immediately. At least in BG3, some egregious decisions warrant understandable consequences.

Istg some people think just bc BG3 came out and introduced them to the idea of an “evil playthrough” suddenly people think that can be applied to ANY game’s writing and the writers are absolved of any problematic aspects.

The difference in a franchise like BG3 is that if you act like a total disgusting piece of shit, you descend into this grotesque, supervillainous repetition of a cycle of abuse. There’s a THEME there.

In DA2, do shitty things, win some prizes, and see no downsides really. It’s just a means to an end. You don’t like Fenris? Here’s your revenge: be as racist as possible! Like HUH?

By that point in the game your relationships are set in stone, too, with other companion characters, so it’s unlikely to rock the boat for most other companion approval/disapproval.

If you make that kind of decision in BG3, you’d face a consequence or lose out on something - SOMETHING would happen. DA2, however, indulges the racist dismissal of Fenris’ narrative and backstory.

Fenris isn’t even written to fight back! They could at least have given him a fight-to-the-death scenario in response! And then to have the most racist-against-elves companion on the team APPROVE? Like come ON.

You don’t have to like Fenris, I get why people don’t like him… but to say the selling into slavery part of the writing is justifiable?

I guess this fandom hasn’t changed.

[modwyr]

i love when game companions don't have a positive relationship and they aren't 'found family' (whatever that term means nowadays). to me it feels like it really emphasises the idea of this being a group of characters gathered together by the protagonist for a common goal, and therefore have clashing ideologies, and it makes everything more natural, from big game moments to companion banter, to have them argue or act awkward and stilted with each other because that's how people are

[andrewknightley]

The vids I recorded of my Anders romance

vs the vids I recorded of my Sera romance

[attractthecrows]

retconning stroud out of the deep roads so i can shove laure amell and the hawke siblings and varric and anders all into the same little camp. they would all have such a bad time

[villainanders]

Oh you guys have very different feelings about anders potentially hallucinating mr wiggums than me

[anakinh]

"is this dungeon the iron throne" "are you going to blow us up" it's not my fault the iron throne is the best dungeon in BG3

[elspethdekarios]

I have thoughts about Anders

So I just finished Dragon Age: Awakening (I’ve played through all 3 main games, went back to do the DLC) and I have so many thoughts about how different Anders is pre- and post-Justice sharing his body. I think part of this is the voice actor change in DA2, but his personality seems so different, too. Awakening Anders is sarcastic, always cracking jokes, mostly light-hearted even after everything he’s been through. DA2 Anders has moments like this, but he’s much more intense and brooding. Awakening Anders has a few lines about wanting to settle down with a pretty girl or have a plump wife waiting for him at home, but DA2 Anders is PINING. And with the time skip, it’s a slow burn. Awakening Anders doesn’t strike me as the slow burn type—he’s very flirty and even a little raunchy at times. But Anders in DA2 doesn’t really act like that. He’s got a tortured, romantic soul. He’s much more serious. And maybe it’s just because he’s grown up a little bit, but now that I’ve met Justice as a character before he and Anders become one, I wonder how much of that change is Anders maturing vs. Justice’s personality coming through.

I know this game has been out forever and I’m probably not saying anything new, but Anders is so fascinating to me. More rambling and dialogue analysis under the cut:

The very first thing that struck me as different about Anders in Awakening (other than his general personality) was his response to Wynne telling the Warden Commander that the Libertarians in the Circle want to pull away from the Chantry, and Anders says that it’s a recipe for disaster. SIR! WHO ARE YOU?

Awakening Anders also doesn’t seem particularly interested in justice for mages or revenge for how he and other mages have been treated. He wants his freedom, and I’m sure he wants freedom for other mages too, but he’s not exactly radical like he is in DA2. In fact, it’s Justice who seems to inspire Anders to, well, seek justice. I’m emphasizing some of this dialogue to analyze it below:

Justice: I understand that you struggle against your oppression, mage. Anders: I avoid my oppression. That's not quite the same thing, is it? Justice: Why do you not strike a blow against your oppressors? Ensure they can do this to no one else? Anders: Because it sounds difficult? Justice: Apathy is a weakness. Anders: So is death. I'm just saying.

Justice: I believe you have a responsibility to your fellow mages. Anders: That bit of self-righteousness is directed at me? Justice: You have seen oppression and are now free. You must act to free those who remain oppressed. Anders: Or I could mind my business, in case the Chantry comes knocking. Justice: But this is not right. You have an obligation. Anders: Yes, well... welcome to the world, spirit.

Now, look at this conversation between Anders and Isabela in DA2:

Anders: I don't know how you live the way you do, blithely ignoring the consequences of your actions. Isabela: This is about the Qunari thing, isn't it? I'm not ignoring it. I just recognize that it happened years ago. Isabela: There's this fantastic thing called "moving on." You should try it sometime. Anders: Has it occurred to you that Kirkwall is only just recovering from the Qunari attack? Isabela: And you want me to... what? Flog myself daily? Isabela: Has it occurred to you that maybe there's no justice in the world? Other than that voice you keep in your head.

Isabela sounds more like Awakening Anders than Anders himself does in this conversation. Justice accuses Awakening Anders of ignoring the oppression of other mages like DA2 Anders accuses Isabela of ignoring the consequences of her actions (for the record, I don’t think either of these assumptions are 100% true, but I digress). In Awakening, Anders is cynical when Justice tells him he has an obligation. What can he change? He has to worry about his own survival as an apostate before risking his life even more to save others. Hence the line “welcome to the world, spirit.” Anders is pragmatic, even a little pessimistic, where Justice is idealistic.

But then, the conversation with Isabela! Like Justice tried to convince Anders of his obligation to other mages, Anders now is trying to convince Isabela to take responsibility for her actions. She’s ignoring the unrest that was caused by her stealing the Qunari tome instead of doing something to help—just like Awakening Anders is ignoring his oppressor. 

When Anders and Justice merge, Anders starts to see the bigger picture, the oppression that reaches far beyond himself. From the short story Anders:

I always knew I wouldn't submit. I could never be what they wanted from me -- compliant, obedient, guilty. But before Justice, I was alone. I never thought beyond my own escape: Where would I hide? How long before they found me? Now, even that thought repulses me. Why should so many others live with what I will not? Why must the Circle of Magi stand? Just because it always has, just because those who read Andraste's words twisted them to mean that mages must be prisoners? Why has there never been a revolution? … They will all die. Every templar, every holy sister who stands in the way of our freedom will die in agony and their deaths will be our fuel. We will have justice. We will have vengeance. And suddenly I'm alone, standing in a burning forest, with the bodies of templars and wardens at my feet. So many, and I didn't even know they were there. Didn't even know I had killed them, but the evidence is all around me. Not the aftermath of a battle as I've known it, but a bloody abattoir of rent limbs and torn and eaten flesh. This is not justice. This is not the spirit who was my friend, my self. What has he become? What have I become? We must get out of here. There is no place for me in the Grey Wardens now. Is there a place for me anywhere?

First of all, ow, my heart. But the point is: before he becomes part of Anders, Justice doesn’t feel a personal connection to mages’ freedom—he only cares because of the injustice. But once he and Anders become one, the source of injustice that Anders cares about the most, that he has deep resentment for, that has caused him great harm, becomes Justice’s cause. We know that Justice can sense/feel memories of the body he inhabits because he remembers some of Kristoff’s past, or at least feels connections to certain objects or people even if he can’t explain it. Kristoff was dead, though, so those memories were only fragments. I imagine that with Anders, he can experience those memories more clearly, including, of course, the injustice he and others have suffered at the hands of the templars. Justice is able to integrate into Anders fully, whereas with Kristoff, the body was an empty vessel with remnants of the past soul that was within it. 

Now, let’s talk about where Anders ends and Justice begins, something that even Anders himself is unsure of. Here are some DA2 banters about the division (or lack thereof) between the two of them:

(Outside The Hanged Man, Act 3) Anders: Justice doesn't let me get drunk anymore. I kind of miss it.

(in Legacy DLC) Anders: I've tried to forget about this side of myself. Justice is... so strong. Sometimes the Wardens seem insignificant. But seeing that poor bastard brings it all back. The Darkspawn taint. The call of the archdemon. It's inside me, as much a part of me as Justice.

Anders: Justice once asked me why I didn't do more for other mages. I told him it was too much work. Anders: But I couldn't go back after that. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Anders: Sometimes, I miss being that selfish.

Varric: So, the knight-commander... Boiling in oil? That one never gets old. Anders: This is past time for joking. Varric: I'm helping you indulge in elaborate revenge fantasies. I think it's good for you. Anders: Meredith will die. Do not doubt that. Varric: Go away, Justice. Can Anders come out and play? Anders: [Justice voice] Stop. Varric: You are no fun anymore.

(if Anders was taken to the Fade) Anders: I have tried to avoid the Fade since Justice. It's disturbing when he takes over.

The above dialogues imply that Anders and Justice are two separate entities in one body. The one from Legacy is tricky, since he compares it to the taint, but he still refers to Justice as separate from himself, which is why I included it. And that’s not even touching on the fact that Justice has a different voice than Anders. But these:

Aveline: So you're two people, Anders and... Justice? Anders: That's not strictly accurate. Aveline: But you are of two minds. Anders: Many people are.

Isabela: Hello? Is Anders there? Can I speak to Anders? Anders: You can stop yelling. It's always me. Isabela: Oh, good. I didn't want to talk to that other guy. You know, the stick-in-the-mud. Anders: He can still hear you. Justice and I are one. Anders: Anyway, you wanted to talk to me? Isabela: Not really. I just wanted to make sure it was you.

(If Hawke convinces Anders to give up his plan) Vengeance: Leave! This does not concern you! Hawke: This is Anders's decision, not yours! Vengeance: I am Anders! You have given into sloth. You would stand by while mages are abducted and tortured. Go. Anders has no need of you.

There’s not a clear answer either way. And I didn’t expect to find one. I think a lot of this back and forth is Anders trying to understand who he is now that Justice is part of him. He clearly still feels like he has some level of agency and individuality apart from Justice, but he struggles with it. This feels very anticlimactic, but I guess that’s just the nature of it all.

If you read this far, wow thanks. Now to not leave off on a sad note, here are some DA2 banters that feel very Awakening Anders to me - please enjoy <3

Anders: I keep thinking I know you from somewhere... Isabela: You're Fereldan, right? Ever spend time at the Pearl? Anders: That's it! Anders: You used to really like that girl with the griffon tattoos, right? What was her name? Isabela: The Lay Warden? Anders: That's right! I think you were there the night I— Isabela: Oh! Were you the runaway mage who could do that electricity thing? That was nice... Hawke: Please stop talking. Now. (Or if Varric is in the party) Varric: I don't think I need to know this about either of you.

Anders: So, I never expected to be palling around with the captain of the guard. Aveline: We're not "pals." Anders: We're not? What about that time we painted each other's toenails? Aveline: Do you want something? Anders: Love, life, and liberty. What more does a man need?

Anders: Nice day to be planning a trip into the Deep Roads, don't you think? Anders: The Blight, the dampness, the festering darkness filled with tainted rats... Carver: Shut up. Anders: You've got a real chip on your shoulder, you know? Carver: I've got a big blade on my shoulder, magey. Anders: Right. Wonder what you're compensating for.

Fenris: Is there something you want, Anders? Anders: You really don't have the temperament for a slave. Fenris: Is that a compliment or an insult? Anders: I'm just wondering how your master didn't kill you. Fenris: How have the templars not killed you? Anders: I'm charming.

Anders: Is that supposed to be Andraste's face on your crotch? Sebastian: What? Anders: That... belt buckle thing. Is that Andraste? Sebastian: My father had this armor commissioned when I took my vows as a brother. Anders: I'm just not sure I'd want the Maker seeing me shove His bride's head between my legs every morning.

(All dialogue found on the Dragon Age fandom wiki.)

[maintitle]

Gonna put this behind a read more because it may be a massive spoiler, or it may be me clutching at straws, but this will be a very rare speculative piece from me on DA:V:

So I've had the suspicion for a really long time that the betrayer in DA4 is actually Harding. I always felt like Inquisition was very careful with keeping Harding away from Solas, and while I don't think it was intentional I do think it's something they've commited too.

Folks can correct me if there's something in Tevinter Nights that I'm missing, but at the very least in the post-game comics stuff Harding has always been very quiet about him. She's there, she's helping hunt him, but she's always kind of quiet about her own involvement with him.

There's a really telling page from The Missing that I can't get out of my head:

One of Varric's most core character traits is that he knows people, but doesn't ever see the worst in them. He can identify a bomb that's ready to blow, but he's too close to it to see the fuse lit on the other side of it. He saw Anders was a ticking bomb, he recognized Solas was very quiet about himself, but he didn't think much of it because he figured these weren't things that were his business, and that the good traits they had outweighed the bad. He has had a terrible track record of knowing there's a knife coming to stab him in the back but not looking for it to come.

This, to me, is Varric identifying that Harding is sympathetic to Solas. He realizes she doesn't see him as the danger Varric knows she is. Problem is, he knows and likes Harding, so he won't admit to himself that it may be a problem. This is his way of warning Charter without having to admit to himself that she might be a liability, not because she's not talented but because she might buy what Solas is selling.

I'm not necessarily saying Harding is against Varric in The Missing, she is very commited to at the very least finding him there, and she does say at least once that they need to stop him. But she's really distracted throughout the journey, and the journey is one dead end after another.

The info on the characters revealed that Harding now has magic. I find that odd, for both the obvious lore reasons of Dwarves not having magic, but also because of the timing. We basically know what Harding did with her time right before Veilguard, unless they set that time randomly back several years. The only way we know of that a Dwarf could get magic is through the Titans. Maybe that's the excuse she'll use, but I somehow don't think she magically went down there for no reason and ended up with powers that made the only person we know for a fact get them never leave the depths again.

There's also the fact that the side content has heavily implied Charter may well be a mole, but at this point that just seems like way too obvious a hook to take. So if there's a mole in what remains of the Inquisition... I think we may have a winner in an unlikely place.

I don't know, it's just a gut feeling. But it gets stronger and stronger the more we find out.

[thatwavephenomenon]

The concept of Inquisitor Anders (and Justice) is so special to me actually. Everyone agree that everything the "regular" Inquisitor goes through/accomplishes is already mind-blowing. But for Anders to be the Inquisitor? The stakes would be even more impossible.

Anders thought he was going to die for what he had done, but Hawke spared him. After that he has to go on with no plan whatsoever, as best as he can while on the run as one of the most wanted man in Thedas. The only thing that is clear to him is that he has to keep helping the mage rebellion until he is either caught and killed, or until his Calling. All he has is borrowed time. So even as a fugitive, Anders' story is likely already written and over.

And then the Conclave happens, and Anders not only has his eyes glow blue sometimes, but he now has an occasionally green glowy hand as well.

So here he is, Anders the apostate, Anders the Kirkwall Chantry criminal, who has nothing but with *everything* to prove.

Remember. This is the man that gave everything that he had, everything he was to his cause. He fought for *years* in Kirkwall with his clinic, his manifesto, with the Mages Underground and still things worsened, with barely anyone listening to him until he blew the Chantry up. And now he has to convince everyone that he isn't responsible for the explosion at the Conclave? Right, as if his track record would permit that. How could he possibly be able to close the breach in the sky when he was the one who started the war between the templars and the mages in the first place?

The regular Inquisitor already has trouble proving themselves trustworthy at the beginning of DAI, so imagine it now with Anders. People would literally be out for blood. The Chantry would not only discredit the Inquisition as heretics, it would call for his immediate dissolution/destruction. Anders would also try to help all the refugees just like before in Kirkwall, while being the very reason these people lost so much in the first place this time.

Now on to the advisors and companions. How would Leliana, who also walk the path of violence for her cause, who is pro-mages but also had great faith in Justinia, interact with Anders? Even if Cullen has left the templars, could he and Anders even manage to cooperate after everything? Especially considering that Cullen was Meredith's second and the one who dismantled Anders' Mages Underground? How would Josephine and Anders work together to promote their cause, with how Anders must regard nobility after living in Darktown for years or after watching Kirkwall nobles interact with Hawke?

After investigating what happened in Kirkwall, Cassandra would probably be more than wary of Anders. But at the same time in DAI she is among the first ones to believe that the character must be the Herald of Andraste. I imagine that Cassandra would be particularly conflicted on how to treat Anders because of this.

Varric. Anders was his friend. Anders is the one who set Kirkwall on fire. For all that they know each other, things would probably still be tense between them at first. Varric also followed Hawke to see him rise from having barely anything to his name to becoming the Champion of Kirkwall. What would he think about Anders, a companion of the initial protagonist (or even protagonists, if you take into account DA Awakening), when he's now taking a path that seems to lead him towards becoming so much more? Especially considering that in DAI Varric struggles with how to perceive the Inquisitor, having to juggle between seeing the character as his friend (if you have a good relationship with him) and seeing them as an icon, the Herald of Andraste.

Anders and Vivienne would absolutely despise each other and their snark matches would be the stuff of legends. The only reason those two could even work together is if they agree that closing the breach takes priority over everything else.

I imagine that Anders, Justice and Solas would have some interesting conversations about spirits and the Fade while also butting heads on a lot of things. Both would be convinced that they are the authority on these subjects. But perhaps they would learn to eventually concede on some things with time.

I think Sera would really like Anders for his continued dedication towards helping people and his insistance to give up what he has for others. Sera's fear of magic and Anders absolute pro-mages stance would definitely cause more than one row between them however. Not to mention Justice. Their relationship would be one of the most interesting there in my opinion.

Blackwall would also be another greatly interesting character to watch interact with Inquisitor Anders. Anders would be able to tell that Blackwall is bullshitting about being a Warden from the get-go, because he was one and can sense the taint. Those two would definitely have some interesting debates on justice (and with Justice), or talks about how to go on and do good after having committed an atrocious crime. Blackwall's admiration for the Grey Wardens versus Anders "Oh yeah, I was a Warden once, then I just quit" attitude would also result in some great banters I'm sure.

Anders would say to Iron Bull that he is very different from all the other Qunaris that were in Kirkwall, though I don't know how that conversation would go. Iron Bull would also definitely be afraid of Justice. I can see him adressing the question/problem of Anders being an "abomination" quite directly, because he is not comfortable with spirits/demons that are capable of taking over someone's mind, and Anders is a living proof of that fear. Despite this, I like to imagine that Justice would actually grow to respect the Iron Bull in some parts after hearing the Chargers' stories about him and seeing how protective of them Iron Bull is.

Despite their different upbringings, I think Dorian would somewhat remind Anders of himself when we was younger/before he merged with Justice. If Hawke isn't a mage, I can imagine Anders' relief and joy about finally being able to talk to someone about magic normally and openly. They would have conversations about Tevinter, politics, etc. In DAI, the Inquisitor can inspire Dorian and support him in his fight to change Tevinter. With Anders as the Inquisitor, this aspiration for social changes could be even more relevant.

Cole and Anders/Justice interactions would be another cool thing to see. Justice would recognize Cole as a spirit of Compassion right away. Despite their differences as spirits, I could see Justice becoming quite protective of Cole and defending him against people like Cassandra or Vivienne, having an unfortonate amount of experience being treated as a "demon" or "abomination". Cole would also try to help Anders with his guilt of course.

Discovering that Corypheus is their enemy would be less of a "oh it's him again/oh okay this is the villain" moment and become a lot more personal, with the worry that Anders could fall under his control if he is not strong enough.

Meeting Hawke once again in Skyhold would be An Event for sure, espeeecially if Hawke and Anders were (are?) in a romance. I'm letting everyone imagine how that would go with their own Hawke here.

And The Choice in the Fade, you know the one, would be even more heart-wrenching. Particularly if the Warden is someone that Anders knows, like Nathaniel Howe or even the Hero of Ferelden/Warden-Commander.

Bonus: Anders could also meet Fenris by chance during a mission to eliminate some Venatori.

Anyways. I really like the idea of Inquisitor Anders, yes.

[nadas-dirthalen]

I dunno, guys. We're not going to Orlais or Ferelden, right? Nor are we going to Kirkwall. It's not that characters from prior games will never be mentioned - it's that if they are mentioned, it's not two recorded voice lines that revolve around your choices. It's a line to acknowledge they exist, not based around the specific MOMENT of your choice. Merrill was always a little silly and naive, but superbly well-meaning, whether or not you helped her fix the eluvian. Anders was always complicated, no matter if he lived or died. Things like that can still be mentioned, and I have faith.

It's been a decade and we're not going to the old places that we've changed! It's been 20+ canonical years since Origins!

I'm a bit bummed about Kieran, of course, and of course I'm bummed about not having Anders or Fenris cameos (since both could die in DA2). But I'd much rather be disappointed about that than disappointed about a plot that feels weird because it tried to fit in so much stuff from events that happened 10-20+ years ago.

But also? I'm relieved about the Well of Sorrows. Phew, lmfao.

[armory-rasa]

Project time: gambeson!

Been a while since I've liveblogged a new project, so I figured I'd take you with me on a voyage of discovery as I attempt to make a gambeson, aka arming jacket (among many other names), the quilted coat that goes underneath maille or plate armor to provide padding for comfort and protection. At its simplest, this:

I've always liked the look (when they're fitted better), but never had a use for one until the other day when I finally decided to bite the bullet and start doing SCA combat, as the local guys have been trying to get me to do for literally years. First fighter practice is next weekend, let's see what I can get done before then.

(Lolol, make no mistake though, I am not as good at sewing as I am at leather, because I only ever do it under duress. It's entirely possible that what I produce today by winging it will be underwhelming and/or unusable.)

So I looked at a BUNCH of pictures online to see all the various design choices available, and decided that I wanted:

Stylishly long, hitting right below the knee

Stylishly angled, with the hem coming to points rather than being cut square across

Detachable sleeves -- one, because sleeves are hard to make fit nicely, and two, because I'm undecided whether I want wide half-length sleeves (like the picture above) or fitted full-length sleeves. If they're detachable, I can have both.

Lacing on the sides -- because that's an easier way to get the fitted look than, y'know, actually tailoring it to fit. Also means it'll still fit even if I lose or gain inches.

Hat tip to this instructable for alerting me to the existence of pre-quilted fabric at Joanns, and also for doing it with two layers of that fabric, which was reassuring because I've never worked with it before and I was worried that just sewing single layers together would make it too bulky at the seams. I didn't need darts in the chest like hers did (lol thank god, because that looks Hard to do), and I wanted a less dramatic angle on the hem.

To that end, I used the pattern from my Anders brigandine as the jumping-off point:

Though I added some inches because I am no longer the skinny twink I used to be:

TIME TO CUT, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN MUSLIN MOCKUPS AND I LIKE TO LIVE DANGEROUSLY.

(This, for the record, is why my sewing projects never turn out as well as they could, but I know myself and I know that if I do a mockup, I will be Fucking Done With Sewing by the time it's over, and then never get around to making the real thing. I expect this gambeson to be a learning experiment, and then wearing it for combat will further show me what I need to adjust for the next one.)

[merrinla]

BioWare comments on Dragon Age II

Source: Dragon Age II Collector's Edition: The Complete Official Guide

In this section, members of the writing, cinematic design, QA and editing teams at BioWare offer illuminating insights into the creative processes behind Dragon Age II.

WRITING AS A CORNERSTONE

Jennifer Hepler, Writer: At BioWare, we have a rather unique structure that involves a lot of back and forth between the various departments of the team. The writers begin by designing a story, with space for combat and interesting challenges. This is refined by our technical designers to suit the gameplay needs. Once they approve, the writers begin work on the dialogue. When this is complete, the tech designers implement the plot, and it is tested and reviewed by a wide range of disciplines on the project.

Because many departments are dependent on having finished writing before work can begin - technical designers can't implement unwritten plots, cinematic designers can't stage unwritten dialogue, voice-over and audio can't work on unwritten, unrecorded dialogue, and so forth - the writing often takes place before much of the combat or systems are working in the game. So, while we know there will be tactical combat and we always aim to implement bos fights and fun gameplay, we often don't get to see it in action untill well after the writing has been locked down and recorded.

Though Dragon Age II is a sequel, nothing from this project was known or planned when we were working on Dragon Age: Origins. While we always hoped the game would be successful enough to launch a franchise, that's never a guarantee until it happens. Developing Origins was such a long process and went through so many changes of leadership that we were able to start DAII with a pretty fresh slate. We'd already told our "ancient evil rising" story, so by the end of the Origins project we were able to discuss what the most intersting parts of the world had turned out to be and how to turn those into more central game elements. For example, it was rather confinig to have all mages locked in the Circle tower, so in DAII mage freedom became a central part of the conflict to make their unique situation a broader part of the game.

There are no "big secrets" among the writers as to where the main story is going, and nothing is set in stone. So, while we have general ideas of which stories we want to tell - we'd definitely like to do more with Tevinter, the Qunari, Orlais and the Fade, for instance - exactly what will happen in each game isn't set until it goes into production.

At the beginig of a project, we usually have a list of main character concepts (like "human male rebel mage") that are put together by the lead writer and lead designer. Then all writers het to say who the're interested in. We've generally been very lucky in that our different personal interests have led all of us to focus in on defferent profiles, so there wasn't much competition who has custody of which characters. After that, those basic character concepts get fleshed out by the individual writer and the team. If someone feels strongly about an idea, they're usually allowed to run with it. For example, for Anders in DAII, I really wanted to try doing a cursed Angel-Buffy-style romance, which we hadn't done at BioWare before. We settled on using Anders and Justice from Awekening for this purpose.

It is each writer's responsibility to make sure that their characters have a consistent voice by reading all related lines in all other writers' conversation files, attending their voice-over sessions to work with the actor/actress and writing any non-plot dialogue for that character. One of my custody characters in DAII was Hawke's mother, so I made sure that I reviewed her dialogue and character development from her first appearance in the Prologue through to her final voice-over session. We also discuss communally how major game characters, like companions, feel about each other. This allows our banter to demonstrate a consistent relationship between NPCs and makes them feel like real people.

As writers, we're involved in changing systems that affect character relationships, such as companion approval. Were always looking for ways to use in-game systems to increase the verisimilitude of our protagonists, so something like lessening the impact of gifts compared to Origins was an obvious low-hanging fruit for us. It just didn't feel right that these people who were otherwise defined by the strength of their convictions could be convinced to like you if you gave them enough bottles of cheap wine. We attempted to correct that with the Friendship/Rivalry system in Dragon Age II.

I'd say that the relationships between characters is precisely what makes our series so roleplaying-friendly. In Dragon Age, we made characters who got under people's skins. For example, many players felt sincerely bad when ending a romance with Leliana in Origins, not because it had any effect on their own character's advancement in the game, but because they had come to care about her as a real person and hated making her cry. To me, that's the ultimate achievement as a game writer - to make a player willing to make a disadvantageous decision in a game just to keep a fictional character from suffering.

THE CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE

Frank Gordon, Cinematic Designer: A camera in a videogame has incredible freedom of movement and can be placed anywhere. This is actually a bit of a double-edged sword for us - it allows the creation of some truly spectacular moments, but it is very easy to create an unnatural looking shot. We study film techniques extensively and employ many of the same principles, but we have just as much fun breaking the rules as following them when it comes to composition and movement choices.

Every camera that we place is sending a subtle message to the player, and little things like the angle of a shot can convey a lot of information without the character having to say a word. These types of techniques generally go hand-in-hand with the narrative as they have to support one another or it will feel weird to watch. Ultimately, we conform to the tenets of cinematography in the same way as film, and that is one of the ways that we contribute to furthering our medium as an art as much as entertainment.

John Epler, Cinematic Designer: Technical limitations meant that early videogame cinematics had to be more skilled in the delivery of visual storytelling. Now that voice-over is expected, we have to find a new balance between image and dialogue. For writers, I think there's a bit of a tendency to "play it safe" and write whatever they think might be needed. And that's completely understandable - we don't always manage to hit every line, and so what you thought might be carried by cinematic design could be missed due to time constraints. While the writers sometimes give us a little more than we need, they're extremely accommodating when we ask them to rewrite or remove something, because they believe in the saying "show, don't tell" every bit as much as we do. So if a line (or even a series of lines) can be replaced with a meaningful look or a well-placed gesture, theyre always on board.

Frank Gordon: Cool scenes, especially ones with dragons, are the best parts of our job. They are just as fun to build as they are to watch. We are very open to suggestions and feedback from the whole development team, and when we get a great idea for a scene, we don't mind crunching a little extra to get it done. Having said that, our use of resources is a constant concern and we don't always have time to do everything that we would like to do.

Kaelin Lavallee, Technical Designer: Assessing the value versus cost is important. Good value for reasonable time and effort means the asset will probably make it into the game. Lots of work for a minor detail is not usually worth it. Sometimes, ideas are good on paper but aren't realistic or don't translate well to gameplay. If we don't think that a certain encounter or experience would be enjoyable - or if we do, and it doesn't test well - we discard it and focus on the things that are fun.

For instance, the "gang" quests are a great addition. They provide some relatively inexpensive, yet fun gameplay to the somewhat spacious night-time areas. This gives the player exploration, combat, XP, items and coin and fills out the world at the same time. The letter system works well for quest delivery or reactivity and saves a lot of unnecessary dialogue and cinematics, which made room to work on other areas of the game. These are two examples of win-win situations for developers and players.

John Epler: We'd rather the other departments in the team ask too much than too little, though. When someone says, "I want this awesome thing to happen," there's usually a scramble as everyone tries to claim it for their own. The big scenes are almost always the most fun to do, even if they're the most work, and you end up learning a lot more about both the toolset and your own abilities when you push out of your comfort zone.

Geordie Moffatt, Technical Artist: On Dragon Age II, we tried not to draw any creative lines. We know we can achieve outstanding animation and effects in-house. Several scenes required the creation of custom tools and a lot of R&D across multiple departments, but it was worth it to get that extra "Wow!" factor. For example, the Chantry explosion cutscene was challenging and went through many iterations, but the final version really makkes you sit back in your seat with your jaw open.

Frank Gordon: The capacity for cutscenes completely rendered in real-time by the game engine has really changed the way cinematics are incorporated in games. It's one of the reasons why dialogue looks so different from last-gen titles. The ability to incorporate cutscenes into gameplay and dialogue leads to a more homogeneous, cinematic experience, and I think were just scratching the surface.

John Epler: Clearly, the job of cinematic designer is one that is still in its infancy. We have a role that's more akin to that of a director on a film set than anything else, and this is only possible given the improved visual fidelity of games in the past five years. Currently, there's a bit of a divide - dialogue feels connected but very separate. Eventually, conversations will happen parallel to the gameplay, allowing for a more integrated experience. I see cinematic design playing a huge part in making this happen.

BUILDING ON FEEDBACK

Mike Laidlaw, Lead Designer: We are certainly very aware of both player and critical feedback for Origins. We analyzed and compiled every magazine and internet review. We also highly value what fans think, so we try to take as much feedback as possible into consideration when we move forward with future projects. It's impossible to please everyone, but I think we've managed to hit a "sweet spot" with DAII. It stays true to its roots while improving on many existing systems. For instance, the art of Origins was gorgeous, but it didn't particularly stand out on its own. So our team "hot-rodded" the art. Now we have a bold, easily-identifiable style - a visual signature that is grim, bloody and sexy.

Combat is another example. People loved the action and combat in Origins, but the pace was a bit slow and the mages were highly overpowered. So in Dragon Age II, we kept the tactical elements, big boss battles and the plethora of ability and specializations while revamping gameplay. Now controls are more responsive, each class has a unique and powerful style of play and combat is actively engaging and faster-paced. We also built a strategic, offensive cross-class combo system.

The same applies to narration. In Origins, everyone enjoyed the tough choices and the memorable characters with their own agendas, but the narrative and story took a long time to see the results of your actions. DAII is still filled with interesting conflict and in-depth, realistic characters, but we improved the system by having a framed narrative with a tighter story that responds to your decisions throughout the game.

Gary Conrad, QA: The feedback from QA is also an important part of the design process. This is one of the things that sets BioWare apart from a lot of other developers: QA is there right at the start of a project, working to ensure that all systems are being tested for possible bugs and end-user experience. Being involved from the beginning also means that it is much easier for QA experts to keep up to date with their knowledge of the game. Instead of being thrown into the deep end near the final stage of a project, the testers expand their knowledge of the game in lockstep with its development. This ensures that QA is always up to speed on all the intricacies of a game's mechanics and allows for that extra level of polish.

Chad De Wolfe, QA: Being involved in the creative side of the project also means that we know who to talk to, and we can make suggestions to solve problems or bugs, which helps the other teams with their workload.

On first contact with the early versions of the game, testers didn't necessarily feel challenged. It's only when they got to the end, where they saw how many choices and checks the game made, that they got a sense of the size of their task.

Gary Conrad: There are tons of variables and dependencies in a game as large as Dragon Age II. Methodical testing for such a massive amount of parameters requires legions of spreadsheets detailing all the various combinations of events that have to be tested. These are the times when the testers sit down and work out the most absurd ways possible to break the game. When a title sells millions of copies, this is essential as you just know someone out there will be trying those very same crazy sequences of events.

THE EDITING MARATHON

Chris Corfe, Editor: Editors are an excellent point of contact and liaison between departments because we see so much of the game. We work with writing, technical design, localization, voice-over and cinematic design, and we must view the game through all of these lenses while editing.

Such multitasking has its risks as well as its benefits. This is not too complicated early on as we are focused mostly on story feedback, brainstorming and editing, For DAII, however, we sent the game for translation and voice-over while we were still writing it, so when localization started, we really had to step up. We went through dialogue editing, voice-over and non-voice-over lockdown, bug-fixing and finally the finishing touches: the manual, credits, last-minute text and dialogue tweaks and, of course, the guide!

It took a high-performance machine to pull off a complicated game of this scale that was in constant flux until the last day. This made the project demanding for the Dragon Age team and for external partners like Piggyback, but it was a rewarding experience. We were very fortunate to work with the most talented and dedicated people in the business.

[wicked-witch-for-hire]

The Artifacts of Karsus and the Crown Of Horns

This post was inspired by several things:

- u/lookitsnichole 's question: if Mystra is melding together with Midnight, why don't we say that Karsus is melding with Gale

- what are the tasks of archmages and Chosens, which made me think about eldritch artifacts thanks to u/Valetheera

- and I would lie if I would say that the situation with Anders & Justice or rather Vengeance was not also in my mind.

What I posit is this:

The idea of Ascension may have been planted in Gale by the Orb & the Crown when he was in close proximity to both of them.

The changes in GodGale are just partly due to ascension and shedding humanity - he is at the minimum greatly influenced by these artifacts. It is possible that they are slowly melding together, or that in time the "Karsus" part can take over completely.

First what are the orb and the crown, and what became of Karsus?

Karsus became a god for an infinitesimally short time, and is considered to be a demi-god. Mystryl sacrifised herself, thus cut all magic and stopped Karsus's spell in the process, and transformed Karsus into stone. Karsus died but he did not go to the Fugue Plane (where souls normally go), but stayed on the Material Plane. His vestige can be called upon by powerful magic users. (Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide).

From the Annals of Karsus

My great spell of transcendence is mine alone, not to be committed to ink and parchment, but I have also forged three supreme enchanted items that are the physical embodiments of my wizardry, and of them I shall make record.

There is a Crown, an Orb, and a Sceptre, each night-alive and with its own power and purpose, and these I call the Regalia of Karsus.

The Crown of Karsus: to attract and absorb magical knowledge, and give the wearer dominion over himself so that he remains his own entity apart from the Weave.

The Orb of Karsus: a storage device or battery that condenses mystic power, ever-gathering so that it must be syphoned at intervals of its excess.

The Sceptre of Karsus: an instrument of projection, a focusing utensil for the precise wielding of unimaginably vast forces. (in Mystra's possession)

Know of these items you must, for if I fail to achieve immortality, they will persist, and I dare say, 'live' on beyond me.

The next question is do we have any other example of something created by a god for nefarious purposes, an evil & intelligent artifact which was capable of corrupting and even transforming the minds of its wearers? Even after the death of its forger?

Say hello to the Crown of Horns!

It was very likely forged by Myrkul (or reforged by him from an ancient Netherese artifact).

This artifact is possessed by Myrkul, sentient and it is capable to interfere with the minds of its wearers.

Following the god's destruction, the vestiges of Myrkul could strongly influence the actions of whomever wore the Crown of Horns, making suggestions within their consciousness, possessing them outright, and even altering their moral and ethical outlook to more closely resemble his own (this is fancy D&D talk for "this artifact will change your alignment to neutral evil"). No individual could remove their crown unless Myrkul's essence wished for his artifact to find a new host.

Laeral Silverhand was one of the Seven Sisters - one of the mortal daughters of Mystra (2.0), who was also a Chosen of Mystra. She was an incredibly powerful mage, and she was specifically gifted in creating artifacts, until she donned this Crown. In her own words:

"We found an artifact, the Crown of Horns, and I in my pride decided that my powers of will and magic were sufficient to counter the evil I sensed within it. I wore the Crown, and it claimed me as its own. Years went by, terrible years during which I lost Laeral and became the Wild Woman, the Witch of the North. I remember little of those years, which in many ways is a blessing."

Theorycrafting time & conclusion

When I look at GodGale I see remnants of Gale in him - he comes back for his love - but I mostly see the terrible, unsatisfiable hunger of the Orb personified as a God of Ambition. HumanGale had ambitions yes, but these ambitions had served a purpose, he wanted to achieve something, he had an endgoal in his mind. GodGale might help a follower to achieve something but that follower won't feel any satisfaction - they will endlessly run after the next thing like a little hampster in their wheel until exhaustion & death.

And I don't think this is truly Gale - this is a vestige of Karsus. The Crown was influencing and corrupting Gale from the moment Gale has got close enough. The Orb would act like a homing beacon to the Crown, and it could amplify its effects.

These artifacts are both capable of being sentient, containing the remnants of their forger - we have precedents for this in the lore, and the Annals of Karsus can be interpreted as proof (see the bolded part.)

And when he ascends? I see an amalgamation of them. I think the Gale part of GodGale is still mostly in charge, but this can change.

There is an interesting thought - we know that Raphael can have an ominous monologue about Mystra if she has the Crown. In that case Mystra had the Sceptre & Crown, and possibly the orb too (we don't know if she simply destroys it or pulls it out of Gale - it might still be intact.) I don't think this will bode well for her for the long run, but we'll see...

[andyzreality]

⋆ band dr intro !

｡‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ — I come home, [he] lifted up [his] wings I guess that this must be the place...

｡‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ — I will find a city, find myself a city to live in...

december 5, 1974.

i moved to new york city in october with the help of my uncle (whom i had been staying with since i graduated from yale in may). it's a small, kinda dingy place, a bachelor on the lower east side, but with how much i was making, it was about as much as i could afford, and i really don't want to end up having to ask my parents for help, as much as they'd probably chip in. i'm taking a gap year (that might end up being two), to figure myself out and decide if i should try to apply for a graduate program, and in the meantime, i've been working at a record store a few blocks from my apartment. like i said, it's not the greatest salary in the world, far from it, but the place is pretty cool and i like the other guy working here, Danny. his parents own the place. people also come in sometimes to post ads on the corkboard near the entrance.

speaking of which, when i came in this morning, Danny pointed out an ad someone had put up looking for a bass player. he knew i played and was looking to be part of a band. that really is the whole reason i was doing the whole "gap year" thing, after all. i want to make this music thing work. it's been my dream since i was a kid. that, and being an author, of course.

so, i wrote down the number on the ad...

｡*ﾟ about me !

｡‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ — Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down...

name: anders "andy" stephen alden gender: male pronouns: he/him age: 22 dob: 10/31/1952 sexuality: biromantic bisexual

occupation: record/music store employee education: b.a. in english from yale (class of '74) languages: english, german, french hobbies: playing bass and guitar, writing, listening to records, reading, cooking

instruments: bass guitar, bass synth, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, double bass

appearance:

｡*ﾟ relationships !

｡‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ — Strange but not a stranger...

⋆ david — bandmate / (future) significant other

he's the voice of the band, our lead singer. he can be pretty quiet, even a little awkward at times, but he's incredibly intelligent. there's something about him that captivates me.

⋆ tina — bandmate

ah, tina! sweet, smart, creative. she plays guitar and does some of the backup vocals. she was actually reluctant to be part of the band, but chris convinced her.

⋆ chris — bandmate

chris is cool! we get along well enough. he's our drummer and he's also tina's boyfriend. he also has a large record collection that i "borrow" from time to time.

⋆ jerry — bandmate

so, he's not part of the band yet. after the modern lovers broke up earlier this year, he went back to harvard to get his master's. he's cool though, and talented. he can do vocals, play guitar, keyboards, synth.

[olderthannetfic]

I know this is only marginally related, but the anon post about dating your boss in the military raising eyebrows and people's prioritization in shipping wars made me immediately think of "In The Navy" by Village People and of "YMCA" (because my brain thinks since YMCA has cheeky subtext and is considered a gay anthem if I'm not misremembering, In The Navy might have some cheeky subtext, too), and it reminded me of the musical Hair and within it of the song "Hair" in which Berger is asked if he's gay (supposedly because of his long hair and homophobic stereotypes IIRC?), which I thought was a reference to fraternization regulations (due to working with a lot of other guys I guess?) and to homophobic regulations (if I haven't misunderstood it, specifically the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy?), and it reminded me of the songs "Black Boys/White Boys" which always seemed a little tongue-in-cheek about attraction between military personnel to me (and only partially subtext, some of it seems to downright be text with no subtlety found, now that I'm rewatching the scene from the film lol). It's been years since I've been to the musical though, so my memory probably forgot 99% of the musical. Gotta watch the film some time.

(BTW I'm not from the USA or an English-speaking country, so I'm not very familiar with US American laws and military culture stuff or with US American LGBT+ history and culture, though I am even more unfamiliar with it in my country apart from a few things because I'm from germany and I know for example that gay people were also targeted and murdered by the nazis - one thing that comes to mind immediately is "Aimée & Jaguar", which is a film based on a book that's about the actual lives of two real people and which I recommend watching very much, though you might want to prepare yourself for seeing horrifying violence and for crying a lot - but I don't know much more about other things in german LGBT+ history, which now makes me pretty sad... Then again, I only realized I was bi less than 10 years ago when I learned about the existence of the term bisexuality, so it's possible that I've just somehow managed to overlook tons of things I've heard and read and that they never registered in my brain, which is very likely TBH.)

Sorry for babbling in your inbox, I shall be off to research more queer history.^^

--

I guess YMCA doesn't literally say "Stay there to suck cock", but it's still sung by a bunch of dudes in intentional camp stereotype outfits. There's subtext and then there's those pieces of art that are like 99% subtext with one tiny fig leaf of text as cover.

Germany had such an interesting history immediately prior to all that death, Magnus Hirschfeld and his Institut für Sexualwissenschaft being particularly obvious examples. Most of the research materials and art from that era were destroyed, but a few things escaped, including a copy of Anders als die Andern. Good luck researching, nonnie. Germany actually has a lot that was once recorded compared to many countries/societies even if it was systematically purged. It was the birthplace of modern sexology, after all.

[fereldanwench]

started thinking about what worldstate i wanna create for my first run in veilguard because of course i have.

we can't import past saves and we won't be using the keep anymore, so I'm not sure how detailed we'll be able to get with it but I've got a few possibilities to play with:

the first and most likely is my mostly canon-compliant worldstate with these bbs:

lorelei cousland [rogue; double-wield] warden / queen of ferelden / li: king!alistair

daphne caron [rogue; double-wield] warden commander / ruler of vigil's keep / li: warden!bethany

ansley hawke [warrior; board & sword] champion of kirkwall / pirate / li: isabela

melisande trevelyan [rogue; archer] herald of andraste / inquisitor / li: cullen

rosalind hendry [mage; knight-enchanter] former chantry scholar / inquisition agent for leliana / li: blackwall

the second is my slightly less canon-compliant worldstate that i never brought into inquisition because i didn't want to have to choose between alistair and my favorite hawke in the fade lmao:

karina amell [mage; i do not remember her spec] warden-commander / li: warden!alistair

rhiannon hawke [force & elemental mage] champion of kirkwall / temp viscount of kirkwall / li: cullen or fenris*

*last summer i did replay da2 with an iteration of rhiannon that actually romanced fenris and i loved it and I've complicated shit for her, lmao. rhiannon x cullen were my goro x valerie of 2013-2014 and making her officially with someone else feels wrong bc i loved them together so much. but i just can't enjoy cullen anymore. so do i do i give rhiannon a boyfriend upgrade? do i make a whole 'nother hawke inspired by her? do i just let rhiannon x cullen and rhiannon x fenris exist in different AUs? i don't know!

and the third is kind of the opposite of the second one: a worldstate i made just for inquisition in the keep with some choices i had never made in the previous games. i don't even have the worldstate in the keep anymore so i don't remember everything but i think it was like this:

default f!mahariel [rogue; archer] no li / recruited loghain / made alistair marry anora

default m!hawke [mage] li: anders / sided with mages

keagan trevelyan [mage; knight-enchanter] herald of andraste / inquisitor / li: cullen (although i headcanoned a polycule with her, cullen, and josie)

one of my conundrums with all of these is, as i mentioned, i can't enjoy cullen anymore. he was obviously a big fave, i think his arc is fascinating especially in da2 and especially if you side with the templars and he has to contend with the shit he's done for meredith, and i enjoyed all the different shipping dynamics with all different kinds of ocs. but i can't separate him from his dipshit VA at this point. hearing his voice is just an instant NOPE for me now

i am 99% positive cullen will not be in veilguard for 2 reasons: 1) the writers said during inquisition that they were no longer trying to work in characters whose fates could be too varied depending on player choice and 2) that twitter shitstorm a few years seemed to guarantee ellis will never work with bioware again lmao

now i suppose there's a possibility that ellis could have recorded lines before that happened and somehow they would be able to be used despite all the changes that happened, but I'm trying to be an optimist here

nevertheless, all of the inquisitors i played were with him, and it sounds like we'll be able to engage with our inquisitors in some capacity in veilguard so do i even want to have a passing mention of cullen? idk. i mean, my disdain for his VA isn't so bad that this would ruin the game for me or anything, but i also feel like this is an opportunity to enjoy another character

between keagan and melisande, melisande was definitely my more developed OC, but i just loved playing as a knight-enchanter gameplay-wise so keagan is actually the only one of the two who did trespasser and jaws of hakkon. i never did the descent--the only DLC in all the games that i haven't played. I've been debating firing up my inquisitor!valerie game again to play that with her but i know the descent recommends a pretty high level and i can't remember how far i got in the story with her (I think i just reached skyhold that last time i played)

so anyway, i've got some decisions to make!

as for what i'm leaning towards playing in veilguard: at this point in time, i'm pretty sure my first rook will be a mage of some kind and lucanis sounds like he was made specifically for me lmao so odds are looking good that'll be my first ship