(4 of 5) Dragon Age 2 Plot Analysis

Retcons and simple literary solutions to Dragon Age 2.

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  Gaming

[Ivan Krolo]

The dialogue wheel is there to help us shape Hawke’s personality and how he/she develops as a person and how he/she reacts to things as a result of our various story/dialogue choices. The plot shouldn’t develop a character like that if we have control over him/her, that’s the player’s choice/job and the game should not give us the freedom of choice for our protagonist then take that away as you suggest. I do agree with you on the time lapses and the fact that no one changes during them at all.

[smudboy]

I don't see why both the plot and player choices can't both impact the player character. Seems like a win-win. Besides, it'll be pretty difficult to avoid a plot!

[Ivan Krolo]

Isn’t that kind of contradictory? Letting us shape a character but then have the story make some changes that we wont potentially like? I personally did the character development thing myself. At first Hawke was a goodie two shoes, but as things went along he became more of a renegade willing to do whatever it takes based on how I reacted to the blood mages, templar tyranny. Making him the in game representation of my thoughts and emotions for a situation. When it was over he changed over time.

[smudboy]

Within the confines of development and the game's features, the authors of the plot/characters can do whatever they want. If both player action and linear story progression impact the same conflict and its outcomes, it could merely be one of 2 outcomes, or 3, or even both.

Besides: nothing wrong complex, diverse character development. A little difficult to plan out, though.

[smudboy]

@LordMida

And yet the level designers, engineers and artists of all sorts start with an idea from the writers, to build the universe they're in. The final say goes to the director or producer who tells the workers what's going on, and hopefully why. To what degree it is collaborative or singular production, one that allows for feedback, and in what capacity we cannot say.

[smudboy]

Thanks. For it's worth, DA2 is not a train wreck, and they do a lot of things well, especially the dialog.

[Ivan Krolo]

I get what you mean. The thing is would need to be a delicate balancing act and I don’t think there’s a developer out there that really focuses on that sort of attention to detail that they could pull off that method effectively in a video game. Maybe InXile can do that with Torment Numenera given that games nature and premise but that still remains to be seen and I remain highly skeptical of anyone pulling it off in the foreseeable future.

[Darkares83]

look at what he having you get, idk i guessed it was a bomb just for that . but maybe that was just. It was clear he was going to do something

[smudboy]

There was no hinting that it was a bomb that Anders was actually building; he made no mention of it. It was a side quest: you didn't have to do it.

[Darkares83]

there even a side quest were you help him (hawke dosnt know) but you as the player should figure out pretty fast you helping him make a bomb.. His whole character is about freeing the mages from the circle and them being miss treated. You have a talk with him about giving the mother a chance to help things but in his mind she wont do anything Ever. Anders force hawke to do something

[smudboy]

...he was hinting at blowing up the chantry? What?

[Darkares83]

Anders didn change in the story you must have just missed that what he was hinting at doing the whole game