2 questions: did Veilguard kill your interest in making art for the first 3 games as well? (I'm not asking because I hope for any particular answer, this is just artistic curiosity from a writer to an artist!)
Also, since DA is not happening for you anymore, have you had a look at Claire Obscur/Expedition 33? I think it would be interesting to see the characters in your art style. But to be clear I think the best art comes from artists who draw whatever they want, so don't take this as a request or anything :)
Yes, it did! I'm not saying I'll never replay any of the games - DAO still has a special place in my heart and DAI was enjoyable enough that I'd probably be content to pop in, run about, and do Inquisitorial Errands for an hour or two here and there - but watching EA gut one of my favourite IPs was just rough.
Clair Obscur/Expedition 33 didn't feel like it was for me. I might come back around to it, but I've got other games (like the Witcher series, replaying Fable 1 & playing through the rest of that series) on my to-play list right now.
And because I can't help myself, I've full on just ranted under the cut.
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The way that they tried to PR-spin the layoffs was brutal: a smaller team would provide more "focus" (bullshit - EA is cutting their resources but expecting them to perform even better with less), they were having trouble keeping everyone busy (bullshit - also sounds like a Management issue and not a Writer/Dev issue), etc.
In my opinion, Dragon Age has never been a good game when it comes to visuals and mechanics. From DAO to DAI, those bozos have never, not once gotten the human form right. (Have they... ever seen tits before in person? What is with that posture and spine? Like whoooooo were they referencing because that person DESPERATELY needs physical therapy - old age will NOT be kind to them.) In that same time, they've actively dumbed down the magic system. ("Hey so your choices are Primal, More Primal But We Call It Elemental Now, Even More Primal But This Time It's Frostyyy, and Miscellaneous Spirit. What, you want to shapeshift? You want to bleed for power? You wanna fuck people up, psychologically, on the battlefield? Play through 2/3s of the game and maybe we'll give you one of those things.") DA2 was the same warehouse repackaged for 50 different side quests. Like, imho, a fucking slog.
What made those games playable and enjoyable, the most compelling asset of those games, was the writing: the world building, the companion characters and NPCs, and the plot all made subpar mechanics and visuals tolerable. I'm not saying it was flawless writing by any means. I have had plenty of complaints about the plot from DAO to DAI - like King Cailan's letters shouldn't have been concealed in a DLC, those should have been out and about so that people could contextualise Loghain's behaviours from the get-go and not "Folk Hero and General Mysteriously Turns Evil All of a Sudden" or the Inquisitor should have had to work a lil harder to earn that title instead of being given it and a sword after a sing-along session in the mountains. So, I'm not saying that the writing was flawless no notes, but it was strong enough that you emotionally connected to SOMEONE even if they were an NPC and a good chunk of the quests to do, books/codexes to read, etc. were a pleasure to engage with.
EA gutting the writers room is not trimming the fat. It's full on removing the meat and potatoes of a full course meal. We're left with crackers and cheese and EA's PR team has tried to convince me that that's a full ass meal when it's barely an appetiser. As a customer, I'm not blind. I'm not stupid. I can see with my own two eyes that EA does not WANT to invest in BioWare... so why should I want to invest in EA? That money isn't going back to BioWare. And I'm not an inexperienced gamer either - I know what a good game looks like. I know what developers are capable of when given the appropriate project time and resources.
Not to go full-on Capitalist(TM) on Tumblr.com, but why should I pay the same amount of money (if not more) for a lower quality product knowing that my money is not actually being budgeted to support the IP/franchise I just bought into? And why would I pay big bucks for a lower quality product when I know I can go elsewhere and pay LESS* for a far more rewarding experience?
So, yeah, EA just destroyed the joy that came from engaging with that fantasy universe. Fuck those guys.
* Admittedly, I paid the most for BG3 and that would be the same pricing as Veilguard. But IMHO, the experience of playing was worth the money! Larian's Divinity Original Sin 1 & 2, Owlcat's games were all <$30 or sometimes <$20. So I got to experience some PHENOMENAL games and storytelling for much, much less than what EA tries to sell me. The Yakuza games? Cheaper than Veilguard and a delightful experience. Got the Witcher bundle for cheaper than Veilguard. Pillars of Eternity - also a fun time - cheaper than Veilguard. The Trine series which features relaxing puzzles, beautiful backgrounds, and soothing music? Less than Veilguard. TINY GLADE where I get to build castles and pet sheep and listen to soothing music???? Cheaper than Veilguard with a small dev team that really cares about/loves what they put out. Honestly, should probably play that now and chill tf out.
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The Iron Bull meeting the Warden and finding out that there's an Arishok out there that calls them Kadan. (Inspired by hanatsuki89's hilarious comic about the Warden finding out what that word means and sending a letter to Sten all "what the fuck. I love you too")
Iron Bull first thought upon meeting the Warden is that they have an impressive set on them. The only person with a bigger set is probably his Kadan, but they’re his Kadan. Of course he’s biased in that regard. While having a friendly drink in the tavern one evening, he casually addresses the Inquisitor as his Kadan (like Bull frequently does).
“I have a friend that calls me, Kadan,” the Warden says almost wistfully. Then they grow serious. “Wait, do you use the title Kadan for friends?”
Bull nearly chokes on his drink. “Uh, not typically. “
“So… Sten totally fucking lied to me,” the Warden blurted out.
“Yeah, guy definitely did.”
He isn’t sure what the fuck is going on, but from the expression on the Warden’s face, this friend is totally about to get his ass kicked.
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YOUR BLOG IS SO RELATABLE YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I'm dating a musician from another country and I can't. Visit. And I too cry abt my bf. (': I hope the borders can open safely in not too long, I'm low key going for sometime next year. Hang in there y'all
omg i’m so glad someone’s out there relating to my screams into the void (though i am sad you’re in the same situation as me,,)
hang in there babe. it won’t be forever:’) thank u for kind words
