[360|PC|PS3|PS4|X1] Dragon Age: Inquisition

[patte-chan]

• Publisher: Electronic Arts
  Entwickler: BioWare Edmonton
  Genre: RPG
  Release: 20.11.2014
  
  Vorbestellung: Deluxe Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, Inquisitor's Edition
  
  OHP: http://www.dragonage.com
  DA Keep: https://dragonagekeep.com
  Forum: http://forum.bioware.com
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dragonage
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dragonage
  Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104492156379470552238/posts
  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/dragonageofficial
  Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/bioware

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So, endlich ist das offene Geheimnis kein Geheimnis mehr. Mark Darrah hat nen offenen Brief auf die "Dragon Age"-Website gestellt. Unüberraschenderweise ist natürlich noch quasi gar nichts bekannt, außer:

The next game will be called Dragon Age III: Inquisition.

We won't be talking about the story of the game today. Though you can make some guesses from the title.

This game is being made by a lot of the same team that has been working on Dragon Age since Dragon Age: Origins. It's composed of both experienced BioWare veterans and talented new developers.

We are working on a new engine which we believe will allow us to deliver a more expansive world, better visuals, more reactivity to player choices, and more customization. At PAX East, we talked about armor and followers… Yeah, that kind of customization. We've started with Frostbite 2 from DICE as a foundation to accomplish this.

Positiv ist schonmal, dass es jetzt schon länger in Entwicklung ist als es Dragon Age II je war.
Dann bin ich mal gespannt auf weitere Infos, Termine und Plattformankündigungen.

Quellen: Original, Übersetzung


Kotaku: Castles and Customization Among First Details to Emerge on Dragon Age III

First Look: Dragon Age III: Inquisition Concept Art

Spoiler: anzeigen

Quelle: http://blog.bioware.com/2012/10/20/firs ... ncept-art/

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Okay, hier eine Zusammenfassung zu allem, was wir wissen über Dragon Age III: Inquisition, das vor der E3 2013 bekannt ist:



Okay, ich sollte mal updaten. Erstmal die Infos von der E3 2013. Der Release wird nun mit Herbst 2014 angegeben und die Unterstützung der beiden neuen Konsolen von Microsoft, bzw. Sony auf der EA-PK bekannt gegeben. Und ja, die auf DICE's Frostbite basierende Technologie ist unüberraschenderweise Frostbite 3. Außerdem hat man die III im Titel fallen gelassen, weil man die Aufmerksamkeit auf das Wort "Inquisition" lenken wollte.
Oh, achja, dann noch das:

Damit wären Varric Tethras, Cassandra Pentaghast und Morrigan schonmal als wiederkehrende Charaktere bestätigt.

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Was wir während dem Panel der PAX Australia außerdem noch über den Trailer und das Spiel erfahren haben:

Spoiler: anzeigen

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Diese Kreatur wurde ausdrücklich als Dämon identifiziert.

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Man kann es im Trailer nicht genau erkennen, aber diese Kreatur hat eine große Keule in der Hand

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Diese Kreatur wird scheinbar "Nightmare" genannt und soll ein wahrer Albtraum im kampf sein. (direktes Zitat). Sie kann scheinbar in einem Kampf plötzlich hinter einem auftauchen.

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Es scheint, dass das Leichenfeld, in dem Varric steht, das Resultat einer Spielerentscheidung während des Spiels ist. Je nach Entscheidung kann ein ein Dorf ausgelöscht werden oder nicht und das hier ist ein mögliches Ergebnis des Ganzen.

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Bezüglich der Festung; deren Belagerung wir sehen: wenn man genau aufpasst, bemerkt man einige Greifen-Statuen und ähnliche Heraldik, die den Ort schmücken. Auf die direkte Frage, ob hier die Grauen Wächter angegriffen werden, antwortete Cameron Lee: "Ich kann bestätigen, dass dies Personen in Wächter-Rüstungen sind."

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In dieser "normal aussehenden" Gegend passieren scheinbar einige seltsame Dinge.

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Neues Concept Art:
Ein schickes neues Concept Art wurde ebenfalls enthüllt, inklusive einer sumpfigen, überwachsenen Ruine mit einem Tor, das das Wappen der Sucher der Wahrheit ziert.

- Die Inquisition ist NICHT Teil der Kirche.

- Es war höchstwahrscheinlich scherzhaft gemeint, aber da man im Trailer Varrics "Hard in Hightown" auf Cassandras Tisch sieht, gilt sie nun offiziell als Fan seiner Arbeit. Außerdem hat BioWare-Autorin mary Kirby das Buch als "Hard in Hightown II" identifiziert, welche ein unlizenzierter Nachfolger aus dem "Zeichen der Assassinen"-DLC-Quest "Literary Theft" ist.

Wer es sehen will, hier ist ein Video vom kompletten Panel der PAX Australia 2013.

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Die letzten Wochen veröffentlichte BioWare über Social Media immer mal wieder Concept Art zum neuen Spiel:

Spoiler: anzeigen

It wasn’t hidden, it was uncontrolled. Like the power you now command.


The graves of our ancestors are littered with the bones of long-forgotten betrayals.


"The Old Gods will call to you, from their ancient prisons will they sing".


They looked on what pride had wrought, and despaired.


In the absence of light, shadows thrive.


Seek the light, for the wicked take root in the darkest corners.


Through a breach in the sky, the brave now walk where once we feared to dream.

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Dragon Age: Inquisition ist die Coverstory der GameInformer September 2013. \o/



Infos aus dem Artikel aus der Print-Ausgabe werden in diesem Video schön zusammengefasst und in den Kontext der Welt gesetzt:



Alles bezüglich der Online-Artikel hier:

Spoiler: anzeigen

September Cover Revealed – Dragon Age: Inquisition

komplettes Cover


A Look Inside Dragon Age: Inquisition's Development



Exclusive Dragon Age: Inquisition Screens

This shot shows three confirmed party members. Varric (left) and Cassandra (center) both played key roles in Dragon Age II. Vivienne (right) is a new ally; she is a mage from Orlais, and helps players put a face on the conflict between the Templars and the mages.

Here we see a qunari standing before a ruined stronghold. Qunari are not confirmed to be a playable race, but the other three that were available in Origins – human, elf, and dwarf – are definitely options in Inquisition.


Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Morrigan – Past and Present



The Return Of Races In Dragon Age: Inquisition



Refining Tactics – The Combat Of Dragon Age: Inquisition



Building A Dragon Age Rivalry: Mages Versus Templars



Exploring The World Of Dragon Age: Inquisition



Creating Dragon Age Party Members



Bioware's Vision For The Future Of RPGs



Romance In Dragon Age



Managing The Future Of Dragon Age



Putting The Dragons In Dragon Age



Special Edition Podcast – Dragon Age: Inquistion

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Auf der EA-Pressekonferenz auf der GamesCom 2013 wurde das erste Dev Diary gezeigt:


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Das Problem des Savegame-Imports, speziell natürlich auf den beiden Konsolen Xbox One und Playstation 4 wurde nun ganz offiziell angegangen. Und zwar mit der Dragon Age Keep. Auf der Seite wird man quasi jede Einstellung und Entscheidung, die man in den beiden vorangegangenen Teilen traf, einstellen können und so selbst ohne die Spiele zu spielen, den Status Quo von Thedas genau so, wie man es sich wünscht, für den Start ins dritte Abenteuer anzupassen. Hier noch ein Link zum offiziellen BioWare-Blog dazu: The Dragon Age Keep

Ein Video-Interview mit dem Director of Online Development, Fernando Melo, über die Dragon Age Keep:


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Weitere Infos zum Spiel kamen von der PAX Prime 2013. Allen voran ein paar neue Screenshots:

Spoiler: anzeigen

Quelle

Des weiteren durfte natürlich die Fachpresse wie IGN, Kotaku oder Gamespot einen Blick auf das Spiel werfen. Wir erfuhren außerdem, dass Qunari eine spielbare Rasse sein werden.


Oh, und hier ist noch etwas Gameplay von der PAX Prime 2013, dank GameTrailers.com:
http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/sf2x ... discussion


Wer mit abgefilmtem Material keine Probleme hat, kann auch die gesamte Präsentation von Dragon Age: Inquisition auf der PAX Prime 2013 hier sehen:

Spoiler: anzeigen

Oder alle PAX Prime 2013 Infos zusammengefasst:


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Hier ein neuer Eintrag von Executive Producer Mark Darrah über den Stand des "Holiday Builds" 2013 zu DA:I, also dem Fortschritt seit der PAX Prime 2013, im BioWare Blog:

Mark Darrah: An Update on Dragon Age: Inquisition

Inklusive ein paar neuer Screenshots:

Spoiler: anzeigen

Auf der offiziellen Facebook-Seite wurden noch weitere Screenshots gepostet:

Spoiler: anzeigen

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Noch etwas Concept Art:

Spoiler: anzeigen

“Let them come. If they expect to see a monster, let them find a monster—one who has tasted free air at long last.”

“The shadows will part and the skies will open wide. When he rises, everyone will see.”

“Beneath their feet, the footprints of the Maker, and all around them echoed a vast silence.”

“In the Arbor Wilds shall we find them, a land unclaimed by all save harsh and unforgiving natures.”

“And thus was mighty Arlathan cast down, its people swallowed by darkness—never to rise again.”

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Für die Cosplay-freudigen gibts im BioWare Blog btw immer wieder Character Kits mit Detailaufnahmen der Kostüme der Partymitglieder und Fan Favorites von Dragon Age: Inquisition. Die bisher veröffentlichten sind:

Morrigan
Cassandra & Varric
Vivienne

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Heute gab es im Blog einen neuen Post inklusive neuem Trailer, der ein paar von den Schauplätzen des Spiels zeigt:



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In der April-2014-Ausgabe des OXM gab es ein Preview zu Dragon Age: Inquisition. Alle Infos im Spoiler.

Spoiler: anzeigen

1. There will be 5 regions in Dragon Age: Inquisition: Ferelden, The Free Marches, Orlais, Nevarra and the Dales:

• 2 of the areas you can expect to visit are; a war-torn region in Orlais and an elven burial ground, known as the Emerald Graves.
• The Emerald Graves, according to executive producer Mark Darrah, is where the Dalish Elves planted one tree for every soldier killed in the Exalted Marches.
• According to the magazine, while enemy levels don't scale to your characters, you can affect environmental changes to drastically influence local settlements, establish trade routes, capture territory and disrupt the local ecosystem.
• Wild flora and fauna, useful for crafting can be hunted to scarcity, allowing other species to proliferate.
• Defeating intelligent enemies like bandits or dragons will have a significant effect on a given region.

2. Dragon Age Inquisition Companions:

• There will be no DLC Companions: According to Creative Director Mike Laidlaw: "Because of how deeply enmeshed in the system companion characters are, we can't just add them on the fly; part of them has to be shipped on the disc...which was led to criticism that we're forcing people to pay for content they already own. It's not the case, but we've decided this time to not go that route. There will be no DLC party members."
• Solas is an apostate and an expert on the Fade.
• The Iron Bull is confirmed as a companion, who is described as "a one-eyed mercenary and outcast from the Qunari faith"
• Sera is confirmed as a companion, and is described as "an elven archer. Little is known about them [referring to both Sera and the Iron Bull] at this point, particularly Sera, who turned up seemingly on accident during one of several combat demonstrations..."

3. The Dialogue Wheel:

• "We have three wheels that we use in response to any given piece of dialogue" says Gaider. "One of those is what we call the 'tone wheel', which is mostly for role-playing choices. The other two are the 'choice wheel'- for taking an action or stating an opinion-and the 'reaction wheel,' for emotional moments"

4. The Inquisitor:

• There will be 4 voices for the Inquisitor 2 for each gender, for all races
• To address why the same voices apply to all races, Mike Laidlaw made the following statement: "It's a matter of file size...if we were to have eight voices, two for each race, we would be shipping on 14 discs or something. We figured that with four voices, that would give players enough options while staying within our size limitations"
• Bioware is currently exploring options to differentiate the voices, like changing the pitch of the audio.
• The Prologue Section (or the "Origin" section" will be the same for all players. The player's appearance, class and dialogue responses during the prologue section will fill in the details, presumably of the Inquisitor's background, and in particular inform how other characters respond to you throughout the story.
• The Inquisitor is the sole survivor of a reality-shattering event which results in the Fade tearing opening throughout Thedas.
• "Presumbly as a result [of the Fade tearing open throughout Thedas], you're also endowed with a singular ability: you can close these rifts wherever they appear throughout the continent."

5. Endings:

• "Bioware is promising a staggering 40 possible endings for the game, dependent not only on choices made in character generation but by actions taken throughout the storyline. [Mark] Darrah stresses, however, that the endings will all be meaningfully different from one another. You won't find 40 endings with only slight degrees of variation between them."

6. Customization:

• Armour weights are no longer class specific. Meaning a rogue can wear a mage's robes, and a mage can wear a warrior's armour. The magazine speculates the penalties will be similar to the fatigue penalties used in DA: Origins

7. Other information:

• There will be a jar of bees, which can be used as a combat item which according to Bioware: "You throw it, the jar breaks open, and little bees fly around stinging your opponents."

Quelle: BioWare Forums: Official Xbox Magazine Dragon Age Inquisition Preview

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Seit dem 24. März 2014 gibt's den Follower Friday. XD Gegen Ende jedes Monats wird eine Woche lang ein Partymitglied aus dem Spiel im BioWare Blog vorgestellt. Als erstes kam Vivienne dran:

INTRODUCTION TO VIVIENNE
CREATING AN IMPERIAL ENCHANTER
VIVIENNE: WRITING AN IMPERIAL ENCHANTER

Screenshots:

Spoiler: anzeigen

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Auf der offiziellen Facebook-Seite gibt's neue Screenshots zu einer Region des Spiels:

THE EXALTED PLAINS

Spoiler: anzeigen

Anyone want to see a new Dragon Age: Inquisition screenshot? Check out the Dales: Exalted Plains!

It was here, centuries ago, that the elven nation met its bitter end.

The Exalted Plains of the Dales are characterized by equal measures of beauty and strife.

On these fields, the holdouts of the elven army faced the forces of the human Chantry and died...

The Plains are now a contested battleground in the Orlesian civil war, and soldiers fight and die here in vast numbers.

From sprawling hills to craggy terrain, the Exalted Plains within the Dales are ripe for exploration.

Learn more about the Plains from the environment artists that helped created it: EXPLORING THE DALES’ EXALTED PLAINS

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Auf der PAX East 2014 gabs ein paar Neuigkeiten zum Spiel. Hier alles nett zusammengefasst in Videoform:



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Das Box Art wurde enthüllt. Hier ist es in voller Pracht. XD



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Neuer Trailer zum Spiel aus heiterem Himmel:



Das beste: inklusive Releasedate! 07. Oktober 2014 - zumindest für Nordamerika. Für Europa wird der 09. Oktober 2014 angepeilt. 10. Oktober 2014 für den UK und Ozeanien.

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Nun ist in Folge der Bekanntgabe des Release natürlich auch die Vorbestellung möglich.

• Origin
  Amazon
  GameStop

Offensichtlich in normaler und in der Deluxe Edition. Die Deluxe Edition besitzt zusätzliche digitale Inhalte und ist für Konsolen exklusiv bei Amazon erhältlich. Für den PC gibt es die Deluxe Edition nur in digitaler Form direkt über EAs Origin zu kaufen. Allerdings hat man auf Twitter und in einer Pressemitteilung durchsickern lassen dass man noch eine dritte Variante, die sog. "Inquisitor's Edition" in Planung hat.

Digitale Inhalte der Deluxe Edition:

Spoiler: anzeigen

• "Flammen der Inquisition"-Arsenal Vernichte deine Feinde mit dem "Flammen der Inquisition"-Arsenal. Diese Waffen – ob Stab oder Dolch, Großschwert oder Kriegshammer – werden kurzen Prozess mit deinen Gegnern machen. Enthalten in Vorbestellungen der Standard Edition sowie allen Digital Deluxe-Käufen.
• "Flammen der Inquisition"-Rüstung Schütze dich vor den Angriffen deiner Feinde, indem du die "Flammen der Inquisition"-Rüstung anlegst.
• Gepanzertes "Flammen der Inquisition"-Reittier Die "Flammen der Inquisition"-Ausrüstung schließt auch ein tapferes Ross mit ein, dessen eigene Inquisitionsrüstung in den Flammen der Schlacht geschmiedet wurde.
• Thron der Himmelsfeste Jeder Herrscher sollte einen Ehrenplatz einnehmen, doch du als Inquisitor wirst auf dem gewaltigsten von allen sitzen, gefertigt aus dem Schädel eines uralten Drachen.
• Rothirsch-Halla Durchquere die gefährliche, lebendige Welt auf dem Rücken dieses prächtigen gehörnten Tieres.
• Sumpf-Einhorn Dieses einzigartige Reittier befand sich einst im Besitz eines üblen Plünderers und kehrt nun zurück, um all jene mit Furcht zu erfüllen, die es wagen, sich dir entgegenzustellen.
• Digitaler Soundtrack Nimm mit dem digitalen Soundtrack die Welt von Thedas überallhin mit.
• Digitale Bonusinhalte Für die Digital Deluxe Edition ist noch mehr in Planung. Bleib dran, um weitere Details zu erfahren.

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Die Collector's Edition wurde endlich angekündigt. Sie nennt sich Inquisitor's Edition und ist exklusiv über GameStop erhältlich.


Inhalte der Inquisitor's Edition:

Spoiler: anzeigen

• Hochdetaillierte, exklusive Inquisitor's Edition Kiste, produziert von TriForce. (ca. 21.5cm x 34cm x 37cm)
  Kiste in außen in künstliche Reptilienhaut gehüllt, oben wurde das Zeichen des Inquisitor in Goldfolie eingestempelt und das Innere ist mit einem roten Seide-Aufdruck ausgekleidet.
• Maßstabsgetreue Stoffkarte von Thedas (ca. 56cm x 81cm)
• Tarot-Kartendeck der großen und kleinen Arkana bestehend aus 72 Karten mit dem einzigartigen Artwork aus der Dragon Age Mythologie.
• Originalgetreue, 6-teilige Inquisitor Werkzeugtasche
• Ein Set aus vier originalgroßen Kartenfiguren (je ca. 9cm x 9cm x 10xm)
• Inquisitor's Abzeichen
• Federkiel und Tintenfass
• 40-seitiges Tagebuch des Inquisitors
• Orlesianische Münzen
• Limited Edition SteelBook™
• Dragon Age Inqisition Deluxe Edition mit folgenden Inhalten:
  • Thron der Himmelsfeste - Jeder Herrscher sollte einen Ehrenplatz einnehmen, doch du als Inquisitor wirst auf dem gewaltigsten von allen sitzen, gefertigt aus dem Schädel eines uralten Drachen.
  • Rothirsch-Halla - Durchquere die gefährliche, lebendige Welt auf dem Rücken dieses prächtigen, gehörnten Tieres.
  • Sumpf-Einhorn - Dieses einzigartige Reittier befand sich einst im Besitz eines üblen Plünderers und kehrt nun zurück, um all jene mit Furcht zu erfüllen, die es wagen, sich Ihnen entgegenzustellen.
  • Digitaler Soundtrack
  • "Flammen der Inquisition"-Ausrüstung-Pack:
    • Waffen für mehrere Klassen - Stab, Dolch, Großschwert und Kriegshammer machen kurzen Prozess mit deinen Gegnern.
    • Inquisitor-Rüstung - Schütze dich vor den Angriffen deiner Feinde
    • Gepanzertes Reittier - ein tapferes Ross mit, dessen eigene Inquisitionsrüstung in den Flammen der Schlacht geschmiedet wurde.

Von einer Inquisitor's Edition für den PC fehlt in Europa bisher jedoch noch jede Spur.

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Ein paar Screenshots aus weiteren Arealen:

The Emerald Graves

Spoiler: anzeigen

Emprise du Lion

Spoiler: anzeigen

The Western Approach

Spoiler: anzeigen

Das sieht auf jeden Fall schon mal nach abwechslungsreicherer Umgebung als Dragon Age IIs Kirkwall aus. (Oder Skyrim. )

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Die offizielle Homepage DragonAge.com besitzt seit kurzem News in Form von Blogeinträgen. Um Klickarbeit zu sparen, pack ich sie natürlich hier in den Thread. XD

OHP-News: Introducing the new DragonAge.com

Spoiler: anzeigen

Welcome to the Dragon Age! Our new website offers the latest news, special features, and game updates directly from the BioWare team. Whether you want to watch trailers, learn more about the characters, or preorder the game, we’ve got you covered.

This site is constantly growing and expanding, so please check back often. While you are here, connect with us on our Dragon Age social channels, or head over to the new community section to read all the latest community streams in real-time.

Your journey into the Dragon Age begins now…

OHP-News: Exploring the Dales’ Exalted Plains

Spoiler: anzeigen

Within the Dales, the Exalted Plains is a massive stretch of land ravaged by civil war and ripe for exploration in Dragon Age: Inquisition. As each distinct areas of the Exalted Plains has its own complex ecosystem, creating the Plains’ physical space in the game was no easy task.

“The first thing we [did] was try to portray the civil war and the impact it’s having on the environment and the people of that region,” says senior environment artist Andrew Farrell. “In these spaces, we try to provide opportunities for the Inquisition to come in and make its mark on the area. Then the people there rally around that.”

The Inquisition arrives at the Exalted Plains during a ceasefire between two armies at war. The bodies of fallen soldiers mysteriously rose from the dead and have driven the armies back to their respective castles in retreat.

As this is the Dales, one might wonder: what’s become of the Dalish elves?

“They’ve retreated into an area with more security away from all the fighting,” explains Farrell. “Of course, they’ve got a few problems of their own.”

The Crow Fens is one section of the Exalted Plains. In contrast to the sprawling hills elsewhere in the area, the Fens is claustrophobic, creating tension as you wonder what lies in wait for you around the next corner. According to Farrell, the Fens was the perfect playground for his imagination to run wild.

Using the power of the Frostbite 3 game engine and next-generation technology, utilizing water in levels is one of the achievements the team is most proud of.

“Interactive water is one of the key things we’ve added to next-gen,” says lead environment artist Ben McGrath. “It’s got realistic reflections, and also realistically ripples and splashes as you walk through it.”

This is all made possible by a technology advancement known as “displacement mapping”. McGrath describes the benefits it adds to the game:

“Displacement mapping adds a new level of realism to the environment. Normal maps [in previous-gen technology] brought great detail to surfaces, but displacement mapping actually pushes those details out so you can see them in the silhouette. The place where it’s probably the most noticeable is on terrain. Pebbles, sand ripples, cobblestones, and other details all pop out from the terrain and make it far more detailed than ever before.”

Once an area is built, its ecosystem brings it to life. While exploring the Exalted Plains, you’re likely to see the halla, birds, and wolves that have made it home. Make your way into the Crow Fens, and you’ll find yourself amidst drakes, dragonlings, and dragonkin.

Don’t let the looming threat of danger deter you from adventuring, however.

“Get off the beaten path!” says Farrell. “Just like exploring in real life, look under all the rocks, under all the bridges, and in all dark corners of the map. Take the path less-traveled and you might something interesting… or surprising.”

As expansive as the Exalted Plains is, Farrell and McGrath agree that you shouldn’t worry too much about missing anything, because you can return to it at any time.

“You won’t be locked out of an area,” Farrell says. “We’ve got a lot of space, so you definitely don’t need to try and see everything on your first playthrough.”

Dragon Age: Inquisition releases this fall on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

OHP-News: Dragon Age: Inquisition to Release in October

Spoiler: anzeigen

It’s official: Dragon Age: Inquisition is coming to PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on October 7, 2014!

Effective immediately, you can preorder the game, and by doing so, get the Flames of the Inquisition pack as an added bonus. Can you close the Breach and restore order to a world torn asunder? The pack should help.

To accompany Inquisition’s launch date announcement, we’ve released a new trailer titled: “The Inquisitor Gameplay Trailer.”

Here’s Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah to shed some additional light on the game and your role as the Inquisitor:

 

Order is a rare commodity in today’s Thedas. Mages and templars are in conflict. The Empire of Orlais is locked in a civil war. Ferelden remains weak after the Fifth Blight. No one stands ready to take action when the sky rips open and demons start pouring out.

To face this incursion and uncover those behind it will require more than any one man or woman could muster. It will require dedicated, highly trained troops to ensure order is restored wherever it’s needed. It will require spies to ferret out those who stand to gain from the chaos or could be behind it. It will require diplomats with silver tongues to convince good men and woman to act when it’s easier to watch the world burn.

It will require the Inquisition.



You emerge as the lone survivor of the magical explosion that creates the Breach, the massive hole in the sky at the heart of the trouble. At first, the people of Thedas won’t be sure what to make of you. Are you responsible for the explosion? Are you a chosen one sent to right this wrong? Are you simply lucky?

The circumstances of the explosion add a religious undertone to some people’s interpretation of what has occurred. With the Chantry a largely human religion, playing as an elf, dwarf, or Qunari will further complicate how you’re received by the masses.

It falls to you to overcome doubts, become a leader, inspire legends, and uncover the truth behind the chaos threatening the world. In time, you will have the allies and resources to do incredible things, but each and every gain will be hard won.

The Inquisition does not have limitless resources: it won’t be possible to pursue every opportunity in the game, and in some cases, your choices will close doors on paths that would otherwise be accessible. You must decide which paths the Inquisition will take, judge who is guilty or innocent, and pursue the goals you deem essential. None of this will be easy, but your companions stand ready to offer their blades and insight, should you require them. And you will require them.

I’m excited to turn the Inquisition over to you this fall, to see what you do with it, to see how you save the world.

~Mark Darrah

OHP-News: The Dalish Elves

Spoiler: anzeigen

I took the road north from Val Royeaux toward Nevarra with a merchant caravan. A scant two days past the Orlesian border, we were beset by bandits. They struck without warning from the cover of the trees, hammering our wagons with arrows, killing most of the caravan guards instantly. The few who survived the arrow storm drew their blades and charged into the trees after our attackers. We heard screams muffled by the forest, and then nothing more of those men.

After a long silence, the bandits appeared. Elves covered in tattoos and dressed in hides, who looted all the supplies and valuables they could carry from the merchants and disappeared back into the trees.

These, I was informed later, were the Dalish, the wild elves who lurk in the wilderness on the fringes of settled lands, preying upon travelers and isolated farmers. These wild elves have reverted to the worship of their false gods and are rumored to practice their own form of magic, rejecting all human society.

--From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar by Brother Genitivi

OHP-News: First Look: The Emerald Graves & Emprise du Lion

Spoiler: anzeigen

Each tree in the Emerald Graves is a reminder of a life lost during the second Exalted March. The area changed greatly in the years that followed, and at the helm of creating the region for Dragon Age: Inquisition is senior environment artist Andrew Farrell.

Andrew set out to design an area that paid homage to the rich history of the land while also making it a fun place for players to explore.



"The Emerald Graves are a mix of the old elven burial ground and a noble, Orlesian playground," Farrell said. "You've got the lower section of the forest, which is a bit more civilized with road signs and abandoned Orlesian estates, and then as you get higher up, you come to the ancient elven areas."

The elves may have moved on, but the forest is still teeming with wildlife. Explore, and you're bound to encounter black wolves, great bears, snoufleurs, halla, and even nugs if you venture underground. However, Farrell warns that they're not alone.

"While adventuring through the upper regions of the Emerald Graves, you'll come across some rather large caves. Don't be surprised to find some 'gigantic' enemies using them as their homes."



Well, that sounds rather ominous, doesn't it? Should we be frightened?

"You may not be a high enough level to take down everything you'll encounter at first, but you can sneak around and continue your exploration," Farrell explained. "When you are strong enough, however, this is exactly the kind of place you'll want to come back and do battle in search of better loot. You never know, there could even be a dragon nearby."

Designing a large open area with a high tree line definitely came with its challenges. Specifically, where do you hide all of those ancient elven secrets?



"You want to reward players and provide them with that sense of discovery from finding well-placed points of interest," Farrell said. "I really enjoyed hiding elven refugee camps around the area, and placing caves. You'll even see old elven carvings on the walls if you step foot deep enough inside."

From the trees and waterfalls of the Emerald Graves, we shift our attention to the craggy, snow-covered highlands of Emprise du Lion, also created under Farrell's watchful eye. Was it difficult to switch between such dramatically different environments?

"Emprise du Lion was an interesting change of pace from the Emerald Graves," Farrell said. "The forest is very open, and the player can cover every inch at their leisure. There is still a lot of exploration to be had in Emprise du Lion, but there is a core story element that drives you there."



We subjected Andrew to a barrage of questioning regarding said story element—even threatening to temporarily "misplace" the coffee machine—but he didn't flinch.

"The red templars are up to something, and the Inquisition comes in to check it out," Farrell finally offered. "When you arrive, there's an area for you to explore, but if you want to get to the heart of what's happening, you're going to have to push through an army."

Game world producer Liz Lehtonen added, "For anyone that has read Patrick Weekes's book Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, they will really enjoy the connection to this area. This is one of the key locations where you can strengthen the Inquisition, and there is a massive keep! Not only is it one of the most challenging structures to reach, but it's also the most difficult to take."

"It's an ancient elven stronghold, high up within the mountains," Farrell said. "It's definitely one of the largest fortifications in the area, and it's incredible to look at."

"Absolutely!" Lehtonen continued. "There are these amazing, Roman-style coliseums with hot springs all around them, and what do we know about hot springs? Dragons love them."



Speaking with Andrew and Liz makes it hard to ignore their genuine excitement for this particular area.

"Building this location was a true collaborative effort," Farrell explained. "We had things that we wanted to accomplish from the very beginning, and the more people we talked to, the more it changed. We still ended up where we wanted to go, but within a week we had done a complete 180 in how we got there, and the game is better for it."



The harsh, icy conditions of Emprise du Lion are in stark contrast to the Exalted Plains and Emerald Graves that also make up the Dales. Of course, Andrew didn't need to go far for inspiration.

"I think this area was completed toward the end of an Edmonton winter," Farrell laughed. "Sometimes art imitates life when you're cold, angry because it's cold, and building a level."

FORTSETZUNG IN POST 2

[patte-chan]

Ich bin mal so dreist, gegen die Regeln von Doppelposts zu verstoßen. >_< Aber mehr Zeichen passen nicht mehr in einen Beitrag.

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ERÖFFNUNGSPOST

OHP-News: The Grey Wardens & the Darkspawn

Spoiler: anzeigen

The Grey Wardens

The First Blight had already raged for 90 years. The world was in chaos. A god had risen, twisted and corrupted. The remaining gods of Tevinter were silent, withdrawn. What writing we have recovered from those times is filled with despair, for everyone believed, from the greatest Archons to the lowliest slaves, that the world was coming to an end.

At Weisshaupt fortress in the desolate Anderfels, a meeting transpired. Soldiers of the Imperium, seasoned veterans who had known nothing their entire lifetimes except hopeless war, came together. When they left Weisshaupt, they had renounced their oaths to the Imperium. They were soldiers no longer: They were the Grey Wardens. The Wardens began an aggressive campaign against the Blight, striking back against the darkspawn, reclaiming lands given up for lost. The Blight was far from over, but their victories brought notice, and soon they received aid from every nation in Thedas.

They grew in number as well as reputation. Finally, in the year 992 of the Tevinter Imperium, upon the Silent Plains, they met the Archdemon Dumat in battle. A third of all the armies of northern Thedas were lost to the fighting, but Dumat fell and the darkspawn fled back underground. Even that was not the end. The Imperium once revered seven gods: Dumat, Zazikel, Toth, Andorhal, Razikale, Lusacan, and Urthemiel. Four have risen as Archdemons. The Grey Wardens have kept watch through the ages, well aware that peace is fleeting, and that their war continues until the last of the dragon-gods is gone.

- From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar



The Darkspawn

Those who had sought to claim
Heaven by violence destroyed it. What was
Golden and pure turned black.
Those who had once been mage-lords,
The brightest of their age,
Were no longer men, but monsters.

- Threnodies 12:1

Sin was the midwife that ushered the darkspawn into this world. The magisters fell from the Golden City, and their fate encompassed all our world's. For they were not alone.

No one knows where the darkspawn come from. A dark mockery of men, in the darkest places they thrive, growing in numbers as a plague of locusts will. In raids, they will often take captives, dragging their victims alive into the Deep Roads, but most evidence suggests that these are eaten. Like spiders, it seems darkspawn prefer their food still breathing. Perhaps they are simply spawned by the darkness. Certainly, we know that evil has no trouble perpetuating itself.

The last Blight was in the Age of Towers, striking once again at the heart of Tevinter, spreading south into Orlais and east into the Free Marches. The plagues spread as far as Ferelden, but the withering and twisting of the land stopped well beyond our borders. Here, darkspawn have never been more than the stuff of legends. In the northern lands, however, particularly Tevinter and the Anderfels, they say darkspawn haunt the hinterlands, preying on outlying farmers and isolated villages, a constant threat.

- From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar

OHP-News: The Fortress of Adamant

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Of all the decisions we Grey Wardens were forced to make over the lean years, withdrawing from the fortress of Adamant was perhaps the most difficult. It had been built to stand as a bastion against the darkspawn spilling out from the Abyssal Rift—a symbol of how we had done the impossible and pushed those creatures back into the shadows where they belonged. We kept the land safe from further encroachment, but as each new age dawned, memories of our sacrifice became a little fainter. The entire Western Approach had become a wasteland, and thus the expense of maintaining the fortress became harder and harder to justify. There were no more griffons to fill its weyrs, too few Wardens to man its battlements, too many good men and women killed by demons creeping through the thin Veil... Each visit of the Warden-Commander made it more and more apparent that Adamant had instead become a symbol of our decline. Many said that, even if darkspawn did still emerge from the chasm, who would they threaten other than the Grey Wardens themselves?

So in the dawn of the Blessed Age, we sealed the fortress's mighty gates. We left the great griffon statues to tarnish and wear in the blowing sand, retreating to Montsimmard with a sense of loss and shame. I recently returned with a small expedition to retrieve supplies left behind and was surprised to see it still standing. The dwarves did well by us, and I suspect Adamant will remain for ages to come... but should the Order ever return, they will find it difficult to resurrect this place. Only spirits roam its halls now, alongside the memories of those who gave their lives to protect us all from darkness.

- From the journal of Veldin, Grey Warden of Orlais, 8:18 Blessed

OHP-News: The Orlesian Empire

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There are many lords and ladies in Val Royeaux

And I mean this literally. Once, the system of noble titles in Orlais was labyrinthine: there were barons and baronnes and baronets and sur-barons and a horde of others, each with its own origins and its own nuances of comparison. The Orlesian aristocracy is ancient and much given to competition. All the nobility play the Grand Game, as it is known, whether they wish to or not. It is a game of reputation and patronage, where moves are made with rumors and scandal is the chief weapon. No gentle game, this. More blood has been drawn as a result of the Grand Game than any war the Orlesians have fought. Of this, I am assured by almost every gentleman here.



As far as titles went, everything changed with the coming of Emperor Drakon, who established the Orlesian Empire as it exists now, and who created the Chantry. There is no more venerated figure in Orlais; in Val Royeaux, the statue of Drakon stands as tall as the statue of Andraste. Drakon determined that the Grand Game was tearing Orlais apart, so he abolished all titles besides his own, and lord, and lady.

I am told, with some twittering amusement, that this action did not end the Grand Game as Drakon had intended. Now the lords and ladies collected unofficial titles rather than official ones, such as "the exalted patron of Tassus Klay" or "uncle to the champion of Tremmes." It is a headache to remember such titles, and one winces to think of the poor doormen at the balls who must rattle them off as each guest enters the room.

The aristocracy is different from Ferelden in other ways, as well. The Orlesians' right to rule stems directly from the Maker. There exists neither the concept of rule by merit nor the slightest notion of rebellion. If one is not noble, one aspires to be—or at the least aspires to be in the good graces of a noble, and is ever watching for a way to enter the patronage of those better placed in the Grand Game.

And then there are the masks. And the cosmetics: I have not seen so much paint since the kennels at Highever. But that is another story.

- From Beyond the Frostbacks by Bann Teoric of West Hill, 9:20 Dragon

OHP-News: The Orlesian Civil War

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When Grand Duke Gaspard attacked Empress Celene of Orlais in an attempt to claim the throne, we assumed business across the country would suffer greatly. To counter propaganda suggesting she was overly tolerant of the elves, Celene was drawn to crush an elven uprising in Halamshiral, and Gaspard's attack there destroyed her forces and cut her off from Val Royeaux. She escaped back to the Orlesian capital (with a hundred mad stories explaining how), at which point we started closing down the family shops, expecting Gaspard's army to carve a bloody path through the Heartlands and up north toward cities loyal to Celene.



Instead, the humans have been downright reasonable. We made a killing on furs and silver in Val Royeaux as Gaspard's hold on southern Orlais cut off incoming trade goods from Ferelden. The nobles in Montfort and Val Chevin also bought up violets as though their touch killed darkspawn; apparently, Celene declared that wearing purple flowers was a way for humans to show their loyalty to her.

In Ferelden, half of the cities would be on fire; but in Orlais, the nobles make jokes, and the merchants just keep peddling their wares while Gaspard and Celene's armies clash in the Dales. The only people really suffering are the peasants, but then, that's true enough anywhere.



Send extra guards on the next shipment, but save the lyrium for Ferelden. The family's doing good business here as it is.

-From a letter from Dernal Harrick, dwarven merchant, to his family in Ostwick

OHP-News: First Look: Halamshiral

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Civil war has ravaged the Orlesian countryside for months, but you'd never know it in Halamshiral. The nobles carry on as they always have, seemingly unaffected by the chaos surrounding them. You certainly won't hear the merchants complain about that, though. Not so long as the sovereigns continue to line their pockets.

So, with opposing forces engaged in battle outside the city walls, why has the Inquisition come to Halamshiral?

"The civil war is now at an impasse," explains level designer Chris Corfe. "The faction leaders are at a peace talk at the Winter Palace in Halamshiral, a magnificent Orlesian structure built on ancient elven grounds. The Inquisition is here to find and stop an assassin."

"We are about to attend a costume party," adds senior environment artist Ryan Love. "Get your mask on and your dancing shoes ready, but don't let your guard down. There's more to this party than meets the eye."



Though we've heard much about Orlais through Dragon Age lore, players will get their first chance to really get out there and explore it in Inquisition. Creating areas such as the Winter Palace in Halamshiral presented the team with an opportunity to flex some creative muscle.

"The cultural background of the Orlesians and the elves inspired the area," says Corfe. "From a layout perspective, the Winter Palace is inspired by old French palaces like Versailles. Writing, level design, cinematic design, and level art all had a hand in helping shape it."

"I think a lot of Halamshiral's inspiration comes from the world's most ornate and decorated places. Buckingham Palace was also used as inspiration," Love said. "Middle Eastern styles also influenced the building of this place."

"Our team of level artists really outdid themselves here," Corfe added.



Orlesian nobility has a reputation for enjoying the finer things, and the Winter Palace’s lavish architecture is no exception. What sets the look of this Orlesian gem apart from that of other areas players will visit in the game?

"There's a plethora of unique areas, but the main point of interest would be the ballroom," says Corfe. "Oh, and don't forget to check out the artwork in its ceiling."

"Ornate decorations, lots of gold, and over-the-top flair," Love added. "You may also notice the stark contrast between the gold-covered main areas of the palace and the servants' areas. This also speaks to the large wealth inequality within Orlais. In order to have this kind of excessive decoration, someone has to polish the brass."

The Winter Palace is quite the sight to behold, but of course, looks can be deceiving. Not all battles here are fought with staves and steel. In Halamshiral, politics can be even deadlier than the blade. The most effective weapons are typically rumor and scandal.

"Combat is not the main focus here," Corfe says. "Intrigue and social interactions rule the day, so the gameplay has unique elements. We still have some balancing to do, but I'd say it's shaping up nicely."



When it comes down to story, both Corfe and Love are a bit more tight-lipped. Although they are careful not to reveal any plot spoilers, they couldn't resist a little titillation.

"There is a nice chunk of content off the beaten path," admits Corfe. "And beware of the approval of the Imperial Court!"

"Make sure to search every dark corner of the place. You never know what you might find," Love confessed. "Also, always remember to be a good party guest. People won't take kindly to a guest snooping in their closets!"

OHP-News: Dragon Age: Inquisition Inquisitor's Edition Coming to GameStop

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Today we are pleased to announce the Inquisitor’s Edition for Dragon Age™: Inquisition. This impressive collection of spoils is the ultimate loot for Dragon Age fans!

Built by our partners at TriForce and carried exclusively at GameStop locations around the globe, the Inquisitor's Edition is available for preorder now on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. You'd better hurry, though, because only limited quantities will be made!



The Inquisitor’s Edition will retail at $169.99 USD /$199.99 CAD, which includes a copy of the Dragon Age: Inquisition Deluxe Edition. Here’s a full list of what else you’ll get:

• Highly detailed exclusive Inquisitor Collector's Edition case produced by TriForce, approximately 3.5" x 7.5" x 11.5"
  • The case is wrapped in faux reptile skin and has the mark of the Inquisitor stamped on top in gold foil, with an interior fitted with imprinted red silk
• Cloth map of Thedas drawn to scale, approximately 14" x 17"
• 72 card Major and Minor Arcana tarot card deck with custom artwork depicting mythology from Dragon Age lore
• Inquisitor full scale, six piece, lock tool set
• One set of four full-scale map markers, each approximately 3.5" x 2.5" x 3"
• Inquisitor's badge
• Quill and inkpot
• 40-page Inquisitor's journal
• Orlesian coins
• Limited-edition SteelBook™ case to house your copy of the game

(Final product may vary. The intended use of the faux lock-pick set is that of opening the hidden compartment in the Inquisitor case.)

The Inquisitor’s Edition releases on October 7th, 2014. Once it’s sold out, it’s gone for good, so preorder yours at GameStop today!

FAQ

When can I get the Inquisitor Edition on PC in Europe? - We'll have more information on the PC version of Inquisitor's Edition in Europe very soon.

Why is the PC version of the Inquisitor Edition less expensive in Australia? - Due to us not having the Deluxe PC Edition available in Australia at Retail, you will receive the Standard PC version in your Inquisitor Edition at a slightly lower price point. You will have the opportunity to upgrade to the additional digital content separately, when it’s available.

Where else can I get the Inquisitor's Edition? - The Inquisitor Edition is a Gamestop exclusive. It is only available in regions where Gamestop currently ships.

The Inquisitor's Edition is sold out everywhere! - Unfortunately, they were a limited run. Continue following our channels for updates

Why can't I get the PC Deluxe Edition in my country? - Unfortunately, we are unable to deliver the PC Deluxe Edition in some regions. However, the Digital Deluxe version is available for PC through Origin.

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Alpha-Status erreicht. Sprich, das Spiel ist von vorne bis hinten durchspielbar.

‏@BioMarkDarrah
We have declared Alpha! A major milestone for Dragon Age! Next up, E3

 https://twitter.com/BioMarkDarrah/statu ... 7865780224

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Screenshots, aus ner neuen Region: Halamshiral. (btw. ne Stadt in den Dales.)

Halamshiral

Spoiler: anzeigen

Gefällt mir ja immer besser!

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OHP-News: The Fade

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The study of the Fade is as old as humankind. For so long as men have dreamed, we have walked its twisting paths, sometimes catching a glimpse of the city at its heart. Always as close as our own thoughts, but impossibly separated from our world.

The Tevinter Imperium once spent vast fortunes of gold, lyrium, and human slaves in an effort to map the terrain of the Fade, an ultimately futile endeavor. Although portions of it belong to powerful spirits, all of the Fade is in constant flux. The Imperium succeeded in finding the disparate and ever-shifting realms of a dozen demon lords, as well as cataloging a few hundred types of spirits, before they were forced to abandon the project.

The relationship of dreamers to the Fade is complex. Even when entering the Fade through the use of lyrium, mortals are not able to control or affect it. The spirits who dwell there, however, can, and as the Chantry teaches us, the great flaw of the spirits is that they have neither imagination nor ambition. They create what they see through their sleeping visitors, building elaborate copies of our cities, people, and events, which, like the reflections in a mirror, ultimately lack context or life of their own. Even the most powerful demons merely plagiarize the worst thoughts and fears of mortals, and build their realms with no other ambition than to taste life.

- From Tranquility and the Role of the Fade in Human Culture by First Enchanter Josephus

OHP-News: The Breach

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What does it mean to pierce the Veil, that which separates our world from the realm of dreams and demons? For the average man and woman, it is a frightening thought to consider just how fragile this separation actually is. The Veil is not a physical curtain, not a structure limited to a particular place—it is everywhere. It is in their home, in the streets where they walk, in farmers' fields as well as remote mountain vales. At any moment it could be torn to shreds, allowing demons and other horrors to flood into our world like water through a burst dam. Known lore tells us that small rifts can be sealed... but what about a large one? What if some catastrophic magical event created a rift so large and horrific, it weakened the integrity of the Veil as a whole? Such a "breach" would threaten our entire world, turning concerns about occasional demonic intrusion into a charming anecdote compared to the monsters we would then face. If there is anything to be done, any reason we should look at magic with fear, it is for that possibility more than any other.

- From The True Threat of Magic by Lady Seeker Alandra Vael

OHP-News: Therinfal Redoubt

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"I have heard the complaints. Some of you do not understand why we train in a castle in the wilderness when you're to seek out corruption among the masses. You question the Seekers' foresight. Doubt assails you. Why have you come to Therinfal? What can you learn here you could not on your own?

Patience is what you will learn. With no city to distract or tempt you, you will practice. You will fail. You will suffer. And when we are done, you will be a rock upon which demons break.

Now let us begin."

This transcription of a speech by Lord Seeker Alderai to a batch of students beginning advanced lessons is dated 7:70 Storm. The Seekers used Therinfal Redoubt as a training ground until around 8:99 Blessed, when their finances were insufficient to keep the fortress in desirable condition.

- From Notable Fortresses, Castles, Towers, and Other Edifices of Interest in Ferelden by Henry Lannon

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Screenshots! \o/

The Fade

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Therinfal Redoubt

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OHP-News: The Hinterlands

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My lord Arl Teagan,

I retired to the Hinterlands for peace and quiet away from the politics, and because the wide open spaces were perfect to let my horses run. Instead, the war between the mages and the templars has turned your beautiful hills into a series of burning battlefields.

The farmers who live in the Hinterlands are good folk. Many of them left Redcliffe village because they couldn't bear to be there anymore, not after the Blight and the walking dead left so many bad memories. Now we've got apostates running around setting fire to anyone who looks at them sideways, and templars looting houses and cutting down those who protest as mage sympathizers.

My wife Elaina sent off our field hands to stay with her family in the east, but there are a lot of poor people here with nowhere to go. We get more refugees every day: this village attacked by mad mages or that farmstead burned to the ground by templars who can't tell a hoe from a staff. I suppose you're stretched thin, but anything you can do to lessen the burden of these poor folk would be much appreciated. I'll do as I can, and if your men need better mounts, say the word.

Best of luck to you, my lord. Remember not to let Duchess puff out her gut when you saddle her.

Yours in service,
Dennet

-A letter from Redcliffe's former horsemaster to Arl Teagan Redcliffe (undelivered)

OHP-News: Redcliffe

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King Calenhad Theirin once famously declared, "The fate of Redcliffe is the fate of all Ferelden." Certainly, the castle is the first and last defense for the sole land route into Ferelden, and the country has never fallen to any force that did not first capture Redcliffe.

The castle, which despite being three times captured is popularly described as "unassailable," also guards one of the largest and most prosperous towns in Ferelden. Redcliffe village is well situated near the mountain pass to Orzammar and the Orlesian border, and so serves as a center of foreign trade. For these reasons, Redcliffe is accounted an arling despite the smallness of the domain.

The inhabitants of Redcliffe village are primarily fishermen or merchants who ship dwarven goods through the pass from Orlais to Denerim. When the entire village smells of smoked fish on certain late-autumn mornings, the merchants in their finery do their utmost to pretend otherwise.

- From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi.

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Und wieder Screenshots.

The Hinterlands & Redcliffe

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E3-2014-Info-Dump! \o/

Fangen wir mal mit nem groben Übersicht über alles, was man bisher weiß, an:

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OHP-News: Character Profile: Sera

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It’s on the streets of Orlais that the Inquisition finds Sera—or rather, she finds them.

Sera‘s an outsider, a rogue elf, who senior writer, Luke Kristjanson describes as a “troublemaker.” She brings to the Inquisition the perspective of the little people caught between powerful factions as the world spins out of control.

“Sera is brash and fun,” Kristjanson says. “She takes nothing seriously until it deserves to be taken seriously, and not much does. She’s only seen power from the underside, a view that gives her an almost complete lack of respect for the arrogance behind authority.”

The Inquisition is the fastest Sera's ever seen someone “in power” move. She's never had the chance to get in early and make sure those heading to the top stay humble. But there are also big questions that she needs to answer for herself—“hole in the sky” big—and the Inquisition seems like the place to do it.

“The phrase I keep going back to is ‘she's not about what's right, she's about what's right now’,” Kristjanson says. “Doing something for the ‘greater good’ makes her angry, because she thinks that's shorthand for ‘let's hurt people who don't deserve it because it's easier.’ But she's got her own reasons for helping too. Play nice with the vulnerable and you’ve always got friends, and friends are better than power.”



During 18 years at BioWare, Kristjanson has written many memorable characters for nearly all of BioWare’s franchises from Baldur’s Gate to Inquisition. It’s different every time, but he says it’s always fun.

“Sera is raw and genuine,” says Kristjanson. “I’ve written plenty of characters who were too clever for their own good. Sera hasn’t had to test her beliefs, so she brings a level of honest discovery that is cutting and refreshing. I had a lot of fun with her voice in particular. The actor nailed it day one. From the first voice test, she was Sera. Her laugh is great.”

With the fate of Thedas hanging in the balance and pressures mounting, Sera’s reckless abandon won’t win over every party member she fights alongside.

“Sera likes people who try (even if they fail), and is suspicious of people who are so powerful they don’t have to,” Kristjanson says. “There are people she loves, people she hates, and people she loves to hate. That draws a line, in and out of the party.”

In short, Sera speaks her mind.

“She makes no secret of her feelings,” Kristjanson says. “I don’t think she could if she tried.”

OHP-News: Character Profile: The Iron Bull

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[DRAGON AGE]: What was The Iron Bull’s life like before the Inquisition?

[PATRICK WEEKES]: The Iron Bull was a Ben-Hassrath internal agent on an island controlled by his people, the Qunari, but threatened by rebels and agitators. Imagine the Dragon Age equivalent of a federal anti-terrorism unit, and you’ve got the basic idea. When things got hot, he was the one the Qunari sent to handle the situation.



[DA]: Sounds like demanding work. Although, judging by his character design, he seems up for the task.

[PW]: True, but nobody can handle a job like that forever. When The Iron Bull burned out, his superiors moved him to what most people outside the Qunari think of when they imagine the Ben-Hassrath: spy work in other countries. He was told to set up a mercenary company, take jobs from nobles, and pass information back to the Qunari.



[DA]: How does he end up with the Inquisition?

[PW]: The official reason The Iron Bull joins the Inquisition is that his Qunari superiors want to know what the Inquisition is doing. Qunari have a pretty dim view of uncontrolled magic, and a giant hole in the sky is about as uncontrolled as you can get.



[DA]: And unofficially?

[PW]: Unofficially, The Iron Bull sees demons attacking innocent people, and he wants to help. He knows the Inquisition’s agents would uncover his ties to the Ben-Hassrath, so he’s opted to save time and be completely up-front about his work. If the player can handle The Iron Bull sending reports, the Qunari agent can get the Inquisition valuable information in return from his spy network.



[DA]: How would you describe The Iron Bull’s character?

[PW]: The Iron Bull is casual, friendly, and confident. There are very few things in the world that he can’t kill if he needs to, which puts him at ease most of the time. He’s got no need to compete with anyone or prove himself, and he doesn’t need his ego stroked. What he does need are people he can trust to watch his back and friends he can laugh with. After surviving years of ugly, nasty fighting, The Iron Bull has learned not to take anything too seriously. Unless it involves demons.



[DA]: Why demons?

[PW]: The Iron Bull has a thing about demons.



[DA]: What sets The Iron Bull apart from the other followers in Inquisition?

[PW]: The Iron Bull really loves life outside the demands of the Qun, now that he’s gotten used to it, and he does everything big. He overeats, drinks himself sick, and will hop into bed with anyone he’s reasonably sure he won’t break. He’s been close to death enough times to appreciate life whenever he has the chance.



[DA]: How does he get along with his fellow companions?

[PW]: The Iron Bull is a relaxed, friendly guy who gets along with just about everyone. He loves talking shop with Cassandra after battles, for example, although he’s a lot more enthusiastic about chopping people in half than Cassandra is. He also gets along surprisingly well with Vivienne, who keeps him in line when he gets too boisterous.



[DA]: You said “just about everyone.” Are there people that he doesn’t get along with?

[PW]: The only folks The Iron Bull has trouble with are those who go looking for fights about the Qunari. He isn’t trying to convert anybody, but he’s not going to apologize for his way of life, and people like Varric, who saw the Qunari at their worst in Kirkwall, might take that the wrong way.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Blackwall

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[DRAGON AGE]: What is Blackwall's life like before he meets the Inquisition?

[SHERYL CHEE]: The Blight is ten years past. The Grey Wardens' prominence is decreasing again. The Wardens are known for their vigil; they keep watch for the darkspawn, for the Blight. But Blackwall isn't interested in just watching. He is absolutely invested in the idea of the Grey Wardens of legend: those who place themselves between the people of Thedas and the oncoming Blight, acting as their shield.



[DA]: Would you say that he sees himself as a defender of the people?

[SC]: To him, that's a Grey Warden, someone who protects others, who takes a hit so someone else doesn't have to. And if that's a Grey Warden, then it's his moral imperative to act, even when there's no Blight. There's more evil in the world than just the darkspawn, and he believes it's his duty to do something about it. He lives by that old saying: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."



[DA]: How does he become involved with the Inquisition?

[SC]: When the Inquisition tries to get in contact with the Grey Wardens, they find Blackwall. He's traveling on his own, a bit of a loner. But with the world spiraling out of control, Blackwall sees the Inquisition as Thedas's last hope to restore order, and he realizes that he'll probably be able to do more good with its backing than by himself.



[DA]: How would you describe Blackwall's character?

[SC]: He's a veteran. He's been through many battles, many conflicts, and he knows their price. He's aware that in wars, the people who call the shots are often safe in their fortresses. It's the soldiers who die. He's seen people with power abuse it and use it to manipulate others, and he absolutely hates that.



[DA]: How does he view himself in the hierarchy of war?

[SC]: He's not going to put himself above the rank and file. He's not better than them. At the end of the day, after all the talk about good and protecting people, he's going to want to have a round of drinks with the rest of the troops and share stories.



[DA]: What was it like for you to write his character in Inquisition?

[SC]: I had a great deal of fun writing Blackwall. At least part of it was asking why someone might find the Grey Wardens appealing. Why choose to be part of that? A heroic sacrifice is still a sacrifice. What sort of person could decide that dying for something is better than just living?

And I would love to say more, but I won't. Ask me again in October.



[DA]: Being good and just can sometimes rub other characters the wrong way. How does Blackwall fit in with his fellow companions in Inquisition?

[SC]: There are definitely characters that Blackwall enjoys the company of more than others. While he always keeps a close watch on his conduct, he loosens up around certain people. There's also the possibility that his relationships may change over time.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Vivienne

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: What was Vivienne's life like before she met the Inquisitor?

[MARY KIRBY]: She was, and still is, the official enchanter to the Imperial Court. Now, mages in Thedas can't hold political power, so the post was almost like a glorified court jester—someone to do magic tricks on command.



[DA]: That sounds a bit humiliating for someone with her power. How did she deal with it?

[MK]: Vivienne took the job and turned it into an advisory position for the Empress. She claimed her place as a respected, and sometimes feared, member of the court instead of as an oddity, and she got used to telling the most powerful nobles in the world what to think about magic and mages.



[DA]: All’s well that ends well, right?

[MK]: And then the Circle shattered, a war started for the Orlesian throne, and someone ripped the sky open. So… could be better.



[DA]: How does she come to join the Inquisition?

[MK]: Vivienne is not the sort of person who would sit back and watch while the world crashed down around her. The Inquisition is the only group even trying to stand against the chaos. So she resorts to the only logical course of action for a courtier: she throws a party for them.



[DA]: What was your favorite part about writing her character?

[MK]: Vivienne was fun to write because she let me play around with different ways for a character to be powerful. Any mage can destroy their enemies with fire and ice, but Vivienne can rip apart her opponents verbally, politically, socially—and make ice seem like the gentlest option.



[DA]: Does her personality conflict with her fellow companions, or does she fit right in with the Inquisition?

[MK]: She takes great pride in her work, and her interactions with a certain unnamed Inquisition mage can be a little… explosive. In a good way. Mostly.



[DA]: Vivienne doesn’t sound like someone you’d want to tangle with. Can you share an example of how she interacts with people who get on her bad side?

[MK]: Certainly.



My dear ambassador,

I don't believe we've met, so allow me to introduce myself. I am First Enchanter Vivienne, enchanter to the Imperial Court of Orlais, personal advisor to the Empress.

A rumor has reached my ears that you plan on attending the salon held at the duke's summer estate three weeks hence. I'm certain this rumor must be a scandalous falsehood, Ambassador, as neither you nor anyone else from the Nevarran embassy has been issued an invitation. As host of the party, I trust you did not intend to crash it like some unwashed workman drunk on three tankards of ale and a dare.

I know you are only seventy-third in line for the Nevarran throne, but that is hardly so lowly a position as to relegate you to trailing after Comtesse Montbelliard in the hope that she might give your suit a moment's thought. She won't, my dear. She only likes men with self-respect. Perhaps you might sober up and acquire some?

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, Ambassador, that the world has become a dangerous place. Wars rage across the continent, the sky is torn open, and many say the end of the world is upon us. During such chaotic times, it behooves those of us in power to aid in the restoration of peace and the establishment of order. Lives have already been lost; should we not save those we can? In that spirit, I give you this friendly warning: I am not to be trifled with. I would not be in a rush to hasten my own demise if I were you, darling. If the demons have their way, it will come soon enough.

Most sincerely,

Madame de Fer

Screenshots: E3 - The Followers

Spoiler: anzeigen

Dann natürlich den offiziellen E3-Trailer, der auf der Microsoft PK gezeigt wurde:


inklusive Analyse:

Spoiler: anzeigen

EAs Pressekonferenz:





Und noch 20 Minuten Gameplay und Q&A aus dem Twitch-Livestream:



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Es gibt durchaus einige wiederkehrende Stimmen aus den beiden Vorgängern. Und auch aus anderen BioWare-Spielen:









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Und Updates der Homepage:

OHP-News: Character Profile: Cassandra

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: Dragon Age fans will remember Cassandra from the previous game, but for those meeting her for the first time, who exactly is she?

[DAVID GAIDER]: Cassandra is a member of the Seekers of Truth, the order that led the templars away from the Chantry to battle the mage rebellion… but she is also servant to the Divine, the spiritual leader of the Chantry and thus all of Thedas.



[DA]: Does that ever force her to pick sides?

[DG]: She is part of both worlds, and when those worlds come into conflict, she chooses to stand with the Divine because, as she sees it, the Divine is seeking to end the chaos rather than add to it. To her fellow Seekers, this makes Cassandra a traitor, but it puts her in a position to be there when the Inquisition is founded, to do what needs to be done.



[DA]: How much has Cassandra changed since players last saw her?

[DG]: When Cassandra met Varric in Dragon Age II, she was convinced the world worked a certain way: things were black and white, good and evil. If there was a problem, there was a distinct cause behind it that could be dealt with.



[DA]: And now?

[DG]: What we find in Inquisition is a Cassandra who's realizing the world doesn't work like she believed it does. Her duty is not absolute, and perhaps neither is her faith. Having doubt need not make either of those things weaker, however, and that's the path that Cassandra has to now walk.



[DA]: How do other characters in the game see her?

[DG]: I think there's a big difference between how others would describe Cassandra and how she would describe herself. She can come across as very stern and rigid, perhaps even humorless, but then she'll surprise you with a wry comment or a bit of sarcasm. The things she has real passion for, she holds secret as she doesn't believe putting them on display is very seemly. There is a sense of propriety and duty in Cassandra that some of the other characters simply can't resist poking at until they elicit a reaction.



[DA]: What is Cassandra like on the battlefield? Does she run toward danger head on?

[DG]: It depends on where the greatest danger lies and who is threatened. She's very practical in battle, and far more oriented toward protecting the helpless and innocent before any other consideration. Fighting is not about having style or showing off; it's a necessary means to an end.



[DA]: She sounds like a noble ally.

[DG]: Cassandra does what she believes is right and just, and holds those values as more important than things like law or duty. If she needs to rebel against tradition in order to drag the world kicking and screaming back into a semblance of order, then she will do it. Once Cassandra commits to a cause, she jumps in with both feet, and the Inquisition is no exception.



[DA]: What did you enjoy most about writing Cassandra's character?

[DG]: At heart, deep down, Cassandra's a romantic. If you called her that, she would completely deny it, but it's absolutely true, and it made her quite fun for me to write. I don't think I've made a character quite like her previously.



[DA]: Would you say that Cassandra is easy to get along with?

[DG]: There are characters she sees eye to eye with, The Iron Bull being one of them. Vivienne is another. Even with those two, however, there are particular points that will cause contention between them—the Inquisition's cause is up to the player, after all, and involves a very disparate group of people, and thus none of them are going to be on exactly the same page. Of course, there are also some characters with whom Cassandra very much does not get along, and that can cause some tension, depending on who the player tries to take along.

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INFO-POST TEIL 3

INFO-POST TEIL 4

[Rizi]

Diese Box sieht echt toll aus, aber 170€ für ein Spiel? Ich weiß nicht.
(Ok, käme sowas von Zelda raus wäre ich der erste Vorbesteller )

Mal zum Spiel selbst: Teil 1 habe ich sehr gern gespielt und Teil 2 (bisher) komplett ausgelassen. An dem Spiel bin ich aber irgendwie schon wieder interessiert.
Würdet ihr empfehlen Teil 2 noch nachzuholen?

[patte-chan]

Garnicht mitbekommen, dass hier überhaupt Updates geschrieben bzw. eingepflegt wurden. Das ist das Blöde am Editieren, nämlich dass der Thread nicht nach oben wandert und als ungelesen markiert wird =(.

Ach, das wusste ich ja. Ich hab ja mit gerechnet, dass ich den Beitrag irgendwann zwischen September 2012 und Release fülle und hab gedacht, wenn der Doppelpost kommt, wird der Thread nochmal wahr genommen. Spätestens vielleicht zum Release. XD

Würdet ihr empfehlen Teil 2 noch nachzuholen?

Naja, für die 5€, die es jetzt noch kostet, joa. Man merkt Dragon Age II an, dass es in 18 Monaten zusammengeschustert wurde, aber gemessen daran, ist das Spiel doch noch erstaunlich kompetent. Ich hab Origins auch sehr viel mehr gespielt als DA II, hatte mit DA II allerdings durchaus Spaß. Ich weiß aber auch nicht, wie du generell den Änderungen, besonders dem vertonten Hauptcharakter mit Dialograd und den beschleunigten Kampfanimationen. Bekanntestes Problem, das die meisten hatten, war ja das abwechselungsarme Dungeondesign mit unglaublich viel Recycling und die Gegnerwellen in den Kämpfen. Beides wurde ja schon in den beiden Story-DLCs ausgebessert. (Die man durchaus im Nachinein noch dazukaufen kann, wenn man an DA II Spaß hatte.)

‏@BioMarkDarrah
We have declared Alpha! A major milestone for Dragon Age! Next up, E3

 https://twitter.com/BioMarkDarrah/statu ... 7865780224

[patte-chan]

ERÖFFNUNGSPOST

INFO-POST TEIL 2

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OHP-News: Character Profile: Varric

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: Varric is back! That's the good news, but what kind of trouble has he gotten himself into this time?

[MARY KIRBY]: Remember in Dragon Age II how Varric was being interrogated by Cassandra, who was working with Leliana and a large number of folks wearing eyeball symbols?



[DA]: Of course.

[MK]: That was the fledgling Inquisition. Divine Justinia V had questions, and Varric was the guy with all the answers.



[DA]: Ah, so his reputation preceded him. Do you think he's starting to regret that?

[MK]: Well, in Inquisition, he's still answering a lot of pointed questions. If he hadn't already figured this out at the start of his meeting with Cassandra, he's definitely finding out now that sometimes it's not so good to be the guy connected to every part of the story.



[DA]: After all that Varric has endured—being betrayed by his brother and interrogated by Cassandra spring to mind—are things finally starting to look up for the poor guy?

[MK]: In Inquisition, things are definitely worse for Varric in just about every possible way. He's hundreds of miles from home. Not a friend in sight. And the things that are happening around him are apocalyptic.



[DA]: Varric just can't seem to catch a break.

[MK]: Remember, this was the guy who found the Wounded Coast too far out of his comfort zone. Snark and wild stories are all that's going to get him through this ordeal.



[DA]: Varric's trademark charm is probably his most visible quality, but what would we see if we dug a little deeper?

[MK]: Thedas knows him primarily as a storyteller, but Varric is first and foremost extremely loyal. He tells stories to rewrite events he's lived through and make them less senseless, the people in them more inspirational, and to drag some meaning out of the mess that surrounds people he cares about. It doesn't always work. But at least he's turned Cassandra into a Hawke fan. That's something.



[DA]: He seems to have a way with words that keeps him out of unnecessary altercations.

[MK]: Varric would always prefer to talk his way out of trouble. He isn't as enthusiastic about leaping into battle as Cassandra or the Iron Bull. But he's completely confident in Bianca and her ability to get him out of any fight in one piece, and he's always willing to show off. He loves an audience, and he especially loves making everyone around him envious of Bianca.



[DA]: Since this is your second go-around as Varric's writer, is there anything that you're particularly pleased to have written for him?

[MK]: I got to write my favorite scene of the entire Dragon Age series this time. It may involve a game of Wicked Grace. I won't spoil it.



[DA]: Varric is one of the more popular characters among the Dragon Age community. He's a pretty easy guy to get along with, but how does he fare with his new travel companions in Inquisition?

[MK]: Varric will at least try to get along with most people in the Inquisition. People who are not Cassandra, anyway.



[DA]: Oh?

[MK]: He's still kind of bitter about that whole "book-stabbing interrogation" incident.

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OHP-News: Character Profile: Cole

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: When we last spoke, we talked about the Iron Bull, but you're also the writer for Cole. What can you tell us about him?

[PATRICK WEEKES]: Imagine going through this world knowing that you're different, but not knowing how. Imagine trying to find out the truth about what you are—a mage? A demon?—and never being sure that you can trust the answer, or that your friends will still support you when the truth, whatever it is, comes out.



[DA]: The proverbial being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[PW]: Exactly. That was Cole's character arc in the wonderful Dragon Age: Asunder, by our lead writer, David Gaider… and now that character arc is done. In this game, we find out what happens next.

[DA]: So, you're taking over a character originally penned by David Gaider. No pressure, obviously.

[PW]: Indeed. Dave is great at creating sympathetic characters, and I loved Cole's arc in the novel. I was guessing at his true nature until the climax of the book. But I couldn't just tell that story again. The character has to grow, for one thing… and also, that arc was tied to Cole not knowing what he is. Once Seeker Lambert whips out the Litany of Adralla, that pretty much narrows Cole down to blood mage or demon, and since he wasn't using blood magic…

[DA]: So, Cole is definitely a demon?

[PW]: Welllllllll… he's definitely somewhere on the Demon-or-Spirit Spectrum of Fade Creatures (which I really hope exists somewhere). A lot of people will always see him as a demon. He would rather be a spirit. He's trying.

[DA]: It sounds like Cole suffers from a very complicated existence.

[PW]: Now that he has accepted his nature, he's less constrained by human limitations. He can sense people's pain, which is actually what he was doing back in Asunder without realizing it, when he found the mages who were terrified and desperate enough to be able to see him. He can find people who are hurting, people in need, and he can help them.

[DA]: Clearly, there is no foreseeable way that could go wrong.

[PW]: Cole remains a work in progress, yes. Anyone who allows him to join the Inquisition (and because there are people whose response to him in Asunder was, "Demon? LOL NOPE," allowing him to join is optional) is going to hear about some weird things happening, with no one quite sure who put all those turnips in the fireplace or why the battlements are covered with loaves of bread.

[DA]: You mentioned that the player can choose not to have Cole join the Inquisition. Are the other followers going to have an opinion?

[PW]: Oh, Maker, yes. Vivienne thinks Cole should be safely banished, and Sera refuses to talk to "it" entirely.

[DA]: As does the Iron Bull, presumably. You said during a previous interview that he had a thing about demons.

[PW]: See, Bull is funny. He does hate demons, but if you're on the team, you're on the team. In Bull's mind, Cole is a weird squirrelly kid who just needs a night of good drinks and bad women to get him sorted out.

[DA]: Well, since you wrote Cole, tell us why you think he would make a great follower.

[PW]: If you want someone who can move around the battlefield undetected, sinking daggers into enemies who never see him coming, Cole is your guy. He can still make people forget him, but he's no longer the scared young man who couldn't stand against Seeker Lambert in Asunder. He knows he's more than human, and he is absolutely deadly when faced with foes who want to hurt innocent people (which safely applies to most of the Inquisition's enemies).

[DA]: Useful!

[PW]: Beyond his skill in combat, though… Cole wants to help people who are hurting. He may not always get it right, but he never stops caring. He will walk into the most painful moment of someone's life and offer them comfort without hesitation or judgment. And then he will disappear from their mind and walk away, because it's not about getting thanked, or even remembered. It's about helping.

[DA]: That's very touching.

[PW]: That's how Cole has grown since the events of Asunder. That's where he's going now. I hope people like where it takes him.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Dorian

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: Let's start at the beginning. What can you tell us about Dorian?

[DAVID GAIDER]: Dorian is a mage from the Tevinter Imperium, and his experiences are radically different from those of mages elsewhere.



[DA]: How so?

[DG]: In Tevinter, mages form the ruling class. He comes from a wealthy and influential family, one of many that arrange marriages and raise their children to become perfect mages… yet Dorian has rejected that life. He's seen the corruption to which it leads, and he refuses to play along despite the fact it's made him something of a pariah.

[DA]: Can you expand on the "corruption" he's seen?

[DG]: Without spoiling the plot, I'll say that Dorian got wind of something that his fellow Tevinter mages were doing, and decided to intervene. As he sees it, someone from Tevinter needs to stand up and say, "We don't agree with what these people are doing. They don't represent all of us."

[DA]: Dorian has been described as sharp-tongued, with a knack for producing a great quip even in times of grave danger. How would you describe him?

[DG]: Dorian is smart—perhaps too smart for his own good, really. He was raised in a society where both intelligence and wit are prized, where advancing yourself socially means outmaneuvering your peers, and he does so quite well… or, at least, he would if he didn't see through it all. That's left him rather jaded and sarcastic, naturally.

[DA]: You're sure you didn't play some small part in cultivating that for him?

[DG]: I tend to start at "sarcastic" and work my way from there.

[DA]: Dorian is also a highly skilled mage. That sounds pretty useful on the battlefield.

[DG]: He enjoys using his magic and doesn't see any reason why he should be ashamed about it. So he unleashes his full power when it's needed… and he has plenty of power to unleash, seeing as he comes from a society where mages are trained to use it rather than hide it. This includes powerful elemental spells, as well as spells involving the control of spirit and the dead—things societies outside of Tevinter might turn up their noses at and claim "distasteful."

[DA]: Dorian seems to have a conflicted love-hate-love relationship with his homeland. Does he ever think about just leaving it all behind?

[DG]: He doesn't believe that the situation in Tevinter is beyond repair, despite how impossible it seems that he personally might be able to do anything about it. Dorian has a streak of idealism hidden beneath his sarcasm, which naturally can lead him to be all the more disappointed when the world does exactly what he suspects it's going to.

[DA]: How does Dorian compare to characters you've written in the past?

[DG]: Dorian is an outcast—by choice, but only insofar as he chose not to live according to the expectations of his society. There are a lot of aspects to that which I enjoyed exploring, and which I haven't had to chance to do with other characters.

[DA]: Anything in particular?

[DG]: Dorian is gay—he is, in fact, the first fully gay character I've had the opportunity to write. It added an interesting dimension to his back story, considering he comes from a place where "perfection" is the face that every mage puts on and anything that smacks of deviancy is shameful and meant to be hidden. Dorian's refusal to play along with that façade is seen as stubborn and pointless by his family, which has contributed to his status as a pariah.

[DA]: Are you happy with how his character turned out?

[DG]: I suppose this aspect of Dorian will make him controversial in some corners, but I was glad to include it. It made writing Dorian a very personal experience for me, and I'm hopeful that will make him seem like a fully realized character to fans in the end.

[DA]: Dorian's sarcasm must create some rather interesting banter with other members of the Inquisition. Any personal favorite combinations stand out for you?

[DG]: I think I enjoy his relationship with Vivienne the most. They're complete opposites and will tear into each other viciously—or, at least, that's what it looks like to outsiders.

[DA]: After listening to Mary Kirby talk about Vivienne's power, we're not so sure that's Dorian's wisest move.

[DG]: Really, they find it good fun, and they'll go from arguing to banding together in order to criticize someone else in a cold second—like the Statler and Waldorf of Thedas. I love that.

[DA]: Having a Qunari around has also got to yield some strange interactions.

[DG]: Dorian's relationship with the Iron Bull is interesting. The Qunari have been at war with the Tevinter Imperium for centuries, after all, and the fact that neither Dorian nor Iron Bull are typical of their people makes for an intriguing arc.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Solas

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: What can you tell us about Solas?

[PATRICK WEEKES]: He’s pretty straightforward, honestly. Just your average elven apostate who voluntarily joins the Inquisition in the middle of the mage rebellion to lend his expertise with the Fade.



[DA]: “Average,” huh?

[PW]: I like to keep it simple.

[DA]: There’s a lot of ground to cover with Solas, so let’s start with him as an apostate—meaning he practices magic outside the Circle of Magi. Did he escape with the rest of the rebel mages?

[PW]: Actually, he was never in one of the Circles to begin with.

[DA]: Interesting.

[PW]: Thedas is a pretty big place, and unless you go around burninating the peasants, you may never come to the attention of the templars.

[DA]: Without the Circle to provide training, how did he learn to control his power?

[PW]: Solas is largely self-taught; while he can comfortably defend himself, he cares more about exploring the Fade than he does about hurling fireballs.

[DA]: What makes the Fade so interesting?

[PW]: Okay, so, the Fade—bear with me, this gets a little weird—the Fade is the spirit side of the Dragon Age universe. It’s this incredible place full of dreams and memories, imprints left behind by powerful emotions or events in our world. Solas has trained himself to do something a lot like lucid-dreaming. He goes to ancient ruins where the Veil is thin, goes to sleep, and actually experiences the history of places no one else has seen in centuries.

[DA]: Is that sort of vision accurate?

[PW]: Absolutely not. It’s based off people’s memories, right? Ask ten different witnesses at a crime scene to describe what happened, and you’ll get all kinds of conflicting information. Solas knows that everything he sees in the Fade is subjective and imperfect. It’s like a gigantic Wikipedia entry full of “[citation needed]” notes, but still, Solas has found some amazing things.

[DA]: In past games, the Fade has been a dangerous place, full of demons.

[PW]: Yes. Most people in Thedas think of the Fade as demon-land… and Solas believes this is part of the problem. If you go into a realm that by its very nature reflects the thoughts and fears of living people, and if all you’re ever taught in the Chantry is that the Fade is this terrible place that wants to kill or possess you, then when you get there, of course it’s like that.

[DA]: Solas doesn’t fear the Fade?

[PW]: I’d say he respects it. It’s still dangerous, but because Solas found the Fade on his own, he went in without preconceptions, letting him explore the area and befriend spirits without the black-and-white mentality that holds back mages trained in the Circle. While everyone else guards themselves, assuming everything in the Fade is a threat, Solas will find a brilliant unimaginable light, smile delightedly, and move in for a closer look.

[DA]: Does that extensive knowledge aid him in combat?

[PW]: On the battlefield, Solas’s expertise with the Fade lets him manipulate magic in ways that would never occur to most mages.

Off the battlefield, when Solas sees a giant hole open up in the sky with demons pouring out of it, he knows that he can help where Circle mages cannot. As a result, although there is no guarantee they won’t locked him up as just another apostate, Solas comes voluntarily to the Inquisition.

[DA]: Did you find his character challenging to write?

[PW]: Writing Solas had its moments, yes. I personally love characters who are intelligent, characters who don’t necessarily break the universe they’re in, but who make players reexamine their own assumptions and look at that world in a new way. It’ll be interesting to see who thinks he’s fascinating and who thinks he’s out of his ever-Fade-loving mind.

[DA]: One would assume that opinions vary among his fellow companions as well.

[PW]: Absolutely. Vivienne is as loyal a Circle mage as you’ll find, so having this scruffy little hedge mage pop in and say, “You’re all close-minded, you should be making friends with spirits,” causes her to get icily disdainful as only Vivienne can. Solas and the Iron Bull also spar over Qunari beliefs, as Solas believes in freedom of thought more than anything else, and the Qunari tend to be pretty rigid there. On the other hand, Solas and Cole get along rather wonderfully.

[DA]: Because Cole is a spirit?

[PW]: Yes; Cole is trying to figure out what that means, and Solas can answer a lot of Cole’s questions. The two of them have fascinating talks about what it means to be a spirit, usually with the rest of the party watching the two with these narrow-eyed “What the what?” looks.

[DA]: In addition to dealing with the world’s perception of mages, he’s also elven. How does he deal with that much adversity?

[PW]: Honestly, Solas hates people who look at him and just see an elf. He considers that kind of attitude part of the black-and-white dichotomy that has led to so much tragedy in the Dragon Age world. Templars versus mages, demons versus spirits, elves versus humans… it’s more complicated than that. Come to think of it, “It’s more complicated than that,” may actually be Solas’s battle cry.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Leliana

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: It’s been a few years since we last saw Leliana. What has she been doing?

[SHERYL CHEE]: After the Fifth Blight, Leliana was summoned to Val Royeaux by her friend and mentor, Divine Justinia V.



[DA]: There’s definitely some history between them.

[SC]: Yes—Justinia was formerly known as Revered Mother Dorothea, the woman who saved Leliana when Leliana was betrayed and almost killed by her old mistress, Marjolaine. Because of their history, Leliana feels a close bond with Justinia; naturally, when Justinia needed her help, Leliana went to her side. She has been serving as the Divine’s Left Hand for some time now.

[DA]: How has her personality changed since her introduction to the series?

[SC]: Those who played Dragon Age: Origins might remember Leliana as a cheerful, optimistic young woman who tried her best to do what she thought was right. It’s now ten years later, and lots of things have happened. She’s not as carefree. Even if she wanted to show that side of her personality, she can’t.

[DA]: Why’s that?

[SC]: She’s a high-ranking member of the Inquisition with a great deal of responsibility, and she has to present herself a certain way for the Inquisition’s sake. However, if you prove that you're trustworthy, and that you understand where she's come from, she might let her guard down a little.

[DA]: How did you find revisiting Leliana?

[SC]: Coming back to Leliana gave me the chance to pull everything from Leliana’s various appearances throughout the Dragon Age world and fit them together.

[DA]: In what way?

[SC]: Leliana’s Song shared her backstory, establishing her relationship with the woman who would become the Divine. In Dragon Age: Origins, Leliana is coming to terms with her past and trying to figure out who she is. In Dragon Age II, and the Asunder and Masked Empire novels, we see Leliana in her role as Left Hand of the Divine. It’s been a long road for her, and in Inquisition, we’ll get to see how her journey has shaped her as a person, and where the path might take her in the future.

[DA]: Were there any challenges?

[SC]: Leliana is always a little tricky because of how the player’s choices in Origins can affect her. I had to make sure that no matter what the player did in Origins, Leliana’s role and character in Inquisition made sense. It's a matter of respecting her core nature, so that regardless of what happened (or happens) to her, she's always clearly "Leliana."

[DA]: You said that Leliana is now “Left Hand of the Divine.” What exactly does that mean?

[SC]: As we know, Cassandra is Right Hand of the Divine: the warrior who puts herself front and center, she’s bold and direct and driven. Leliana is the Left Hand—the “sinister” hand, as it were. She hangs back in the shadows. She watches the Divine’s back, watches for enemies, waits for them to reveal their weaknesses, and comes at them from the shadows.

[DA]: Those skills must be useful for the Inquisition?

[SC]: The Inquisition is a new power, a threat to some of the existing structures within Thedas. Naturally, some people will oppose it, and Leliana will deal with these opposing forces should direct action or diplomacy fail.

[DA]: So she gets along well with the rest of the Inquisition?

[SC]: The Inquisition is Leliana’s priority. She knows that infighting will doom it to a quick and messy end, so she’s often willing to put aside her own personal feelings to do what’s best for the organization.

[DA]: Can you give us an example?

[SC]: She has a healthy respect for Cassandra, even if she doesn’t always agree with her. Ultimately, their goals align, and they’ll work together for what they believe is the greater good. It’s a little like Mom and Dad quarrelling behind closed doors, but presenting a united front to the kids. Same goes for Cullen.

[DA]: And finally, the question on everyone’s mind: How is Schmooples?

[SC]: Ah, Schmooples. Maybe we should let people find out on their own when they play the game.

OHP-News: Character Profile: Cullen

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: What can you tell us about Cullen?

[BRIANNE BATTYE]: Cullen spent more than half of his life in service to the templars. He's gone through a lot over that time. He survived what happened to the Circle Tower in Dragon Age: Origins, then watched Kirkwall fall to chaos in Dragon Age II. In Inquisition, the sky's torn open, demons are running loose, there's war… things aren't exactly looking up.



[DA]: Cullen made a pretty big decision at the end of Dragon Age II. How has his life changed since he sided against Knight-Commander Meredith?

[BB]: Meredith was Cullen's commanding officer; he wanted to trust her. But standing against her paved the way for him to help form what would become the Inquisition. The templars failed to protect their charges and the people of Kirkwall. The Order has not lived up to its ideal, and though it wasn't easy for him, Cullen now recognizes that. It's something he's still processing, but he's looking to move forward and fight for something he can believe in. The whole world's falling apart, and Cullen won't sit by and watch that happen. He wants to be part of a solution. If that means serving the Inquisition instead of the Order, then that's what he's going to do.



[DA]: As a former knight-captain, Cullen is certainly well-trained and experienced. What is his primary area of expertise?

[BB]: He obviously has insights into the Templar Order, as well as firsthand knowledge of the mage-templar conflict. Of course, those aren't the only reasons he was recruited into the Inquisition. Cullen is a driven individual with a strong sense of responsibility. He's a leader: someone people can turn to, someone they can trust to make the right call, even if it's a tough one.



[DA]: How would you describe his role in the game?

[BB]: Cullen is one of three advisors who help run the Inquisition. Specifically, he commands the Inquisition's military forces on your behalf. Cullen will offer tactical advice and assistance throughout the game. And you'll have plenty of reasons to seek it.



[DA]: So, it sounds like players will get to spend some time with him.

[BB]: For sure—but it doesn't have to be about work all the time. There will be opportunities to get to know Cullen himself. Though he was in Origins and appeared in quests throughout Dragon Age II, there wasn't a chance to talk to him about anything that wasn't an immediate issue.



[DA]: And now?

[BB]: In the previous games, Cullen was there as a templar. He had work to do. But why did he become a templar in the first place? Who was he before that? Who is he beyond that? These were questions I had to consider. In Inquisition, the player can explore these ideas with him.



[DA]: What did you enjoy most about writing him?

[BB]: Cullen's been through a lot. As a result, he takes his new position very seriously. Your soldiers depend on him, after all, and he will do right by them. He expects a lot of the Inquisition and of himself. Some of my favorite parts to write were the moments where he lets that drop a bit—the moments where you see him relax and he can be the person behind the soldier.



[DA]: You mentioned that he is one of three advisors. Does Cullen get along well with his peers?

[BB]: Cullen has a lot of respect for his fellow advisors. Of course, that doesn't mean they always get along. For example, Cullen is a practical person who appreciates a straightforward, honest approach. Leliana, who has worked behind the scenes for the Divine for years, won't come at a problem the same way.



[DA]: Cullen fans have united on social media using the hashtag #cullenites. What do you think it is about him that makes him so popular?

[BB]: Well, I'm sure his introduction in Origins won him some fans—especially among certain female mages. But I don't think that's everyone's reason or the only one.

Cullen is someone who fights for what he believes in. He tries to do the right thing, even if he isn't always successful. His history interests me, and I'm sure other people are also curious about what it will mean. How has it influenced the man he is now? I guess I know the answer to that, but I won't say more just yet.

OHP-Nes: Character Profile: Josephine

Spoiler: anzeigen

[DRAGON AGE]: Josephine is a new character to Dragon Age series. What can you tell us about her?

[SYLVIA FEKETEKUTY]: Josephine is a people person. She’s optimistic, she likes finding solutions, and needs barely any sleep to work at full capacity. She misses the view of the sea from her bedroom in Antiva City (though she only brings that up with friends).

[DA]: What was your process when developing her character?

[SF]: When I came up to DA: Inquisition from the Mass Effect 3 team, the idea for Josephine’s character was basically one word on a whiteboard (“Diplomat???”). When our lead writer, David Gaider, handed me the character and told me to go, that word was enough to get me started. I tried to think of what kind of diplomat would work well with the Inquisition. Why she was the best fit for the role, how the heck she ended up there, how she would bounce off other characters, etc...

[DA]: Was it challenging to start from scratch, or did you enjoy the experience?

[SF]: I enjoyed it, but it was daunting. One of the characters I wrote in Mass Effect 3 was Liara. Fans had gotten to know Liara from ME1 onwards, so I was able to do some fun stuff by pulling from the history players had with her. Josephine, however, I made up from scratch. The freedom was great, but in the back of my mind I was anxiously asking myself “Does her characterization work? Will people enjoy talking with her? Do I know what I’m doing?!”

[DA]: What was the end result?

[SF]: I received some great feedback from the rest of the writing team early on that helped me a great deal. I fell in love with Josephine by the end—especially once I heard her voice actor reading lines for the first time. It was like she’d finally become a real person.

[DA]: As a noblewoman, she seems to bring a different set of skills to the Inquisition. What is her primary area of expertise?

[SF]: Diplomacy. Josephine has worked for years as an ambassador in the royal courts in Thedas. She’s very familiar with Orlesian politics, which comes in handy. She’s an excellent mediator and speaker. Crucially, she knows just how hard it can be to change people’s minds, and how much someone’s ego is tangled up in being “right”. Josephine prefers to gently steer people into agreement whenever possible, but she’ll take a stand when needed. There’s occasionally an iron fist beneath that velvet glove.



[DA]: How would you describe Josephine’s role?

[SF]: Josephine is the head ambassador of the Inquisition. She handles diplomatic disputes on the Inquisitor’s behalf, raising the player’s reputation and spreading the Inquisition’s influence throughout Thedas.

Or in less fancy terms: Josephine does a lot of work that’s very important, and also very boring. Keeping a huge organization like the Inquisition afloat takes negotiations and paperwork and endless politics, but Josephine lives for that kind of stuff. She prides herself on having the Inquisitor’s back (for example, making deals with the right people, or heading off power plays by other nobles) so the Inquisitor is free to make the decisions that actually shape the world.

[DA]: Any other considerations when creating Josephine’s character?

From the start, I knew she shouldn’t be a warrior. She’s surrounded by people who are excellent, highly-skilled fighters, and I wanted our diplomat to be different. Josephine’s handier with a pen than a sword, and much more useful negotiating than wandering the wilderness.

[DA]: What did you enjoy most about writing Josephine?

[SF]: Finding a voice for her, finding the ways she fit into the world. Writing the scenes where she becomes friends with the PC. Those can be tricky, but I love it when they come together. Working with Josephine’s voice actor and cinematic designer (the person who “directs” the conversations) was particularly great.

It was also fun to write a romance again. And because I know people will ask: You can try to win Josephine’s heart as any race or gender. I think we ended up with some fun moments whether you’re trying to romance her or just be her friend, but there’s one particular scene that I love.

[DA]: As a skilled diplomat, she must be difficult to win an argument against. Does she get along well with the other advisors?

[SF]: She has a good relationship with Leliana. They’re old acquaintances, and they both know the other is very good at what they do. That said, I think it is a relief for them to see: “Oh, our work styles mesh after all. Phew!” That’s not to say they always agree with each other, but they’re a good team.

Meanwhile, while Josephine and Cullen respect each other, Josephine would always rather work towards a diplomatic solution while Cullen doesn’t always think it’s the practical choice. Josephine can get impatient with that attitude and the clash in their philosophies.

[DA]: At the end of the day, we’ve got to know: in a battle of fashion, who wins between Josephine and Vivienne?

[SF]: Wow, I feel like the last person on earth qualified to judge that! I’ll just say: Vivienne will wear the latest haute couture, no matter how outrageous, and make it look good. Josephine appreciates finely-made clothing, but when it comes to formal wear, she’s a traditionalist. (Of course, Antiva follows lots of Orlesian fashion trends, but Josephine’s not going to admit that. Hometown pride and all.)

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Raptr hat mit einigen der Entwickler (Mark Darrah, Mike Laidlaw, Cameron Lee) einen Live-Chat zwecks Q&A abgehalten. Infos in Videoform:

Spoiler: anzeigen

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ENDLICH. Die komplette Demo der E3 2014 direkt als kommentiertes Video von BioWares DA-Youtube-Kanal:





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OHP-News: BioWare at San Diego Comic-Con

Spoiler: anzeigen

We're very excited to announce that BioWare will be attending San Diego Comic-Con next week, and we're bringing Dragon Age: Inquisition with us. We'd like to thank our friends at Microsoft and AMD as our show sponsors this year.

If you're going to the show, we'd love to see you! Here's a schedule of where you can find us throughout the week.



San Diego Convention Center – Dark Horse booth (#2615)

111 West Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA

Mass Effect team: Noel Lukasewich, Carl Boulay, Fabrice Condominas, Mike Gamble

Dragon Age team: Patrick Weekes, Ben Gelinas, Nick Thornborrow

Thursday, July 24

• Mass Effect team signing: 11:00am – 12:00pm
• Dragon Age team signing: 3:30pm – 4:30pm

Friday, July 25

• The Art of Video Games (w/Nick Thornborrow): 4:00pm – 5:00pm
  • Room 7AB
• Mass Effect team signing: 6:30pm – 7:00pm

Saturday, July 26

• Dragon Age team signing: 10:00am – 11:00am
• Charting a Course: Developing the next Mass Effect: 2:00pm – 3:00pm
  • Room 25ABC
• Mass Effect team signing: 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Sunday, July 27

• Mass Effect team signing: 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Microsoft Lounge

Manchester Grand Hyatt
Seaport Ballroom, 2nd floor
1 Market Place, San Diego, CA

Thursday, July 24

• Demo 1: 11:30am – 12:00pm
• Demo 2: 1:30pm – 2:00pm
• Demo 3: 4:00pm – 4:30pm

Friday, July 25

• Demo 1: 3:00pm – 3:30pm
• Demo 2: 7:00pm – 7:30pm

Saturday, July 26

• Demo 1: 11:00am – 11:30am
• Demo 2: 3:00pm – 3:30pm
• Demo 3: 5:30pm – 6:00pm

Sunday, July 27

• Demo 1: 11:00am – 11:30am
• Demo 2: 1:00pm – 1:30pm

Geek & Sundry Lounge

Jolt'n Joes, 2nd Floor
379 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA

Thursday, July 24

• Meet & Greet: 11:00am – 11:30am
• Demo 1: 11:30am – 12:30pm
• Demo 2: 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Friday, July 25

• Demo 1: 2:00pm – 3:00pm
• Demo 2: 5:00pm – 6:30pm

We hope to see you there!

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OHP-News: Dragon Age: Inquisition Update

Spoiler: anzeigen

From Mark Darrah, Executive Producer of Dragon Age: Inquisition

I’m writing to let you know that Dragon Age: Inquisition has a new release date of November 18, 2014 in North America (November 21st in EU). We appreciate the enormous support we’ve received from all of you to get to this point, and while this extra few weeks may not seem like a lot, I know the game you’ll play will be all the better for it.

Since we began working on Dragon Age: Inquisition almost four years ago, our goal was to create the best Dragon Age experience ever. It was that goal that motivated many of our decisions: moving to Frostbite, bringing race choice and customization back, improving tactical camera, building a team of characters whose relationships evolve based on your actions, and most importantly, crafting an epic, nation-spanning story that both draws upon past games and takes you to many new places in the realm of Thedas.

I’m privileged to be a part of a team that has been working very hard to surpass every measure they’ve set for themselves. That has meant completing huge amounts of game content, fixing bugs both big and small, and improving the overall experience. This last bit of time is about polishing the experience we want you to see. Ensuring that our open spaces are as engaging as possible. Strengthening the emotional impact of the Hero's choices. And ensuring the experience you get is the best it can be in the platform you choose to play on.

Thank you again for your patience and support!

Mark

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Was man alles analysieren kann.

Spoiler: anzeigen

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gamescom 2014:

Spoiler: anzeigen

OHP-News: Writing Villains

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[DRAGON AGE]: Before we begin, who is your favorite villain from the previous Dragon Age games, and why?

[DAVID GAIDER]: I'd say Loghain in Dragon Age: Origins, primarily because I couldn't blame him for feeling as he did. Was he paranoid and ultimately wrong? Yes, but I could imagine myself stepping into his shoes and taking some of the same actions he did… which is a little frightening.

[SYLVIA FEKETEKUTY]: Meredith from Dragon Age II, and the tragedy that unfolded out of her stubborn paranoia. As Hawke, I enjoyed butting heads with her, and Meredith's voice actor was terrific. Jean Gilpin brought this wonderful, thunderous gravitas to the role—I really believed Meredith thought she was doing the right thing, even up to the end.

[LUKE KRISTJANSON]: This is a tough one because I have never been able to play a BioWare game unspoiled. I've written at least part of almost every villain we've served up.

I really enjoyed writing Commander Harwen Raleigh of the Leliana's Song DLC. A good old-fashioned hardline jackass, and you just want to punch the sneer off him.

Also (so long as I'm not kite-dueling him), the Arishok in Dragon Age II. That's a good "we are at an ideological impasse, and this only ends one way" kind of match-up. Good fun.

[DA]: In your opinion, what makes an evil character truly memorable?

[DG]: When the word "evil," as it applies to that character, can be reasonably argued.

[SF]: A good dynamic foil. A viewpoint that fascinates, even if it's self-serving or covering an agenda. (There's a reason everyone remembers the cuckoo-clock speech from The Third Man.) The antagonists who stay with me typically change a story's protagonists when they clash, whether by forcing them to adapt or by irreversibly altering their entire worldview.

[LK]: Give them flaws they know and defend, and flaws they don't know and ignore. That gives them understandable reasoning and unexpected blind spots. Villains are often just heroes taken to an internally consistent logical/emotional extreme.

[DA]: What is your process for creating characters? Do you start with their role in the game and work backward, or do you find it helpful to flesh out their backstory first?

[DG]: When it comes to major characters, there's always an element of the role they play in the overall story, which comes first. Then we start coming up with concepts for that character and fleshing out the backstory, at which point their role may start to change. Neither the overall story nor the character is completely static during early development, though a point eventually comes when we've nailed down exactly what we want from both.

[SF]: For me, their role in the game tends to suggest the backstory, if they're a character we know we want from the get-go. For more minor characters coming out of whole cloth, I'll sometimes think up a concept I like ("Wouldn't it be fun if the Shadow Broker's lair had one of those little drones floating around, acting as a secretary?") and then see if there's a place for them in the game.

[LK]: You need to be able to do both because it really depends on when you join a project. If you're in early enough, you can craft the character along with the role, but a lot of times the role and/or plot is necessarily defined already. I prefer knowing where they need to fit because then I know the pieces I have to work with. A lesson from growing up with LEGO: limitations breed creative solutions. The freedom to make stuff up also comes with the uncertainty of what will need to be cut. In either case, I can't do anything without keeping the needs of the overall game in mind.

[DA]: Does seeing early concept art of the characters ever inspire your creation or spark any new ideas?

[DG]: It can. Sometimes, we'll have a concept artist such as Matt Rhodes sitting in on our concept meetings, and as we discuss ideas, he sketches away and actually has pictures for us to look at by the time we're done. Sometimes, they're pretty amazing and will make us incredibly excited at the possibilities.

[SF]: Definitely. The concept art is really when a character starts solidifying into a person. You ask why the character dresses the way they do, why they carry themselves with a certain posture, etc. Those questions need answers, so the threads start coming together.

[LK]: Oh, hell, yeah. Plenty of times, I've gone to one of our concept artists with a description, and they have hit back with something great I never would have suggested. Maybe they seized on a word I didn't mean to emphasize, or just bring their own unique understanding of an archetype. Or maybe it even seems "wrong" initially, but it makes me think about the character in a new way.

Not related to villains, but an early concept for Sera had dangly metal earrings (ultimately we didn't get them), and I was concerned that an archer would find them annoying. Then I pictured someone in-world asking Sera exactly that, and it helped define how she would react to critiques of her choices and what she likes. "No. Do they annoy you? (Shakes head vigorously.) It's like music!"

[DA]: Is your process for writing enemies the same for writing heroes, or do you have to approach them differently?

[DG]: Very differently. The story is largely from the hero's perspective, so you have to account for the villain's presence from that hero's viewpoint. The player is only aware of who the villain is and what they're doing insomuch as their character is aware of it, and you have to write the villain with the core idea of motivating the player to care about stopping them.

[SF]: It's complementary. You want an antagonist worthy of the hero and vice versa. They can't be separated out on a macro level without some consequences because that's usually the core of your drama.

That said, I think people "permit" some supervillain-esque characters to be more theatrical because that pompousness speaks to a tragic weakness in their own perceptions, which in turn makes them larger than life to those who cross them. And also because it's really fun.

[LK]: In a BioWare RPG, the "villain" is defined, and the "hero" is more of a blank slate.

The risk, then, is that the hero can be less relatable than the villain. I have to try to accommodate as many internal motivations for the player character as I can, stated and unstated. The motivation for the villain is always consistent, even if his or her actions have to adapt to the variables of the player character.

[DA]: Is it tough for you to get into the mindset of a villain?

[DG]: Not if you've done your job. If you have, then you can inhabit a villain's mindset the way you would any other character—it's just going to be more extreme.

[SF]: Not really. It's the old "everyone thinks they're the hero of their own story" chestnut. The important thing is to ground their motivations in something believable for the character and the tone of your story.

[LK]: There's a reason the writing pit has a NSFW sign on the door. All those nasty things that can happen in the game? We have to think them up, talk them out, figure out what's mean, too mean, satisfying, etc. I focus on their flaws, find their rhythm, and try to let them talk. Sometimes it's just a question of asking yourself, "What if you had no doubt about X?" That doesn't mean correct. It means no doubt.

[DA]: In any story of good and evil, you have to have a powerful foe to stand in the hero's way. How would you describe the "Elder One" from Dragon Age: Inquisition in one word?

[DG]: Relentless.

[SF]: Let's go with "ambitious."

[LK]: Arrogance. Not "arrogant"—that's somehow not enough. He has a confidence born of absolute certainty that in his estimation no others can comprehend. He will do what needs be done.

[DA]: We debuted a new trailer, "The Enemy of Thedas," this week at Gamescom, giving players their first look at the Inquisition's foes. How does it feel seeing all that hard work come together?

[DG]: It's hard to describe just how exciting that is. The first time I saw the new trailer, I think I peed a little.

[SF]: Pretty good! We're all kind of tired, but still. It's good. I'm really enjoying playing through the game, which is my main task at the moment, so I think that's a good sign.

[LK]: At this point in a project, I'm kind of numb. It's hard to parse the game as a whole. When you see a solid trailer of your own work, it makes you sit back for a second and consider how it's all come together. So, excitement and relief?

[DA]: If you had to pick, which one is more fun to write: heroes or villains?

[DG]: Villains, without question. They get to break all the rules.

[SF]: Everyone always says villains, and they are fun. They're the ones who bring the propulsive friction that catalyzes your story and stakes. But if your other characters aren't popping the same way, that's a good reason to step back and ask why not and if those character are working. In that sense, villains can be the "fun" element by which other story elements are measured.

[LK]: Copout answer: Mid-plot villains, when it's starting to unravel. End-game heroes, when it's all coming together.

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OHP-News: Dragon Age: Inquisition Combat Q&A

Spoiler: anzeigen

Can we customise AI tactics as in the previous games (i.e. drink a health potion when below 25% health)? —@WordsToGold, Twitter

[DANIEL KADING]: Yes. The interface has changed, but it includes the ability to customize what skills your allies use, when they will (or won't!) use potions based on their health and how many potions you have left, and set targeting rules such as guarding certain allies or attacking the leader's target.

Do weapons and armor degrade over time? If so, can they be repaired in the field? —@Wild_Morrigan, Twitter

[DK]: No equipment decay! Thedosian merchants give their products lifetime guarantees, which was a pretty shrewd business move what with the apocalyptic sky-hole.

How will cooldown work with abilities? —@FreshRevenge, Twitter, United States

[MARK DARRAH]: Cooldowns are still there. You can have eight abilities mapped on the console, which gives you opportunities.

[DK]: Different abilities have different cooldowns, which can sometimes be reduced with upgrades or passives. Particularly powerful abilities may have relatively long cooldowns, making you carefully choose when to use them—or perhaps to combo them with abilities that reset your cooldowns.

Will there be any enemies with instant death moves? —Michael Lao, Facebook, United States.

[DK]: None of the enemies have sync-kill/instant death moves… though with the right combination of difficulty setting, a low-level party, and wandering-into-places-you-ain't-'sposed-ta-be, a 1-hit knockout isn't out of the question.

Can I have two swords again? —Matthew Orsini, Facebook

[MD]: Warriors have the choice of two-handed weapons or sword and shield.

[DK]: Dual-wielding daggers is otherwise only available to a rogue.

I'm not very good at being a strategic player, but I really WANT to be. Will there be some sort of stepping stones to allow players like me to graduate from more simple, action-oriented combat to a more strategic way of thinking? —Haley Livermore, Facebook

[DK]: Many battles are in locations that allow you to "scout" your opponents before they notice you, giving you the time to analyze tactical opportunities the environment offers: chokepoints for warriors, blind approaches for rogues, enemies in vulnerable locations, etc. Sometimes your allies will spot opportunities in these fights and make suggestions on strategies of approach.

Will weapons be as interchangeable as they were in [Dragon Age:] Origins, or class-restricted like DA-II? —Jacob Wasylenko, Facebook

[DK]: Class-restricted, though our animators provided some beautiful variant attack styles within each melee weapon set. For instance, rogues perform different attacks depending on whether they're armed with single- or double-bladed daggers.

Are you going to bring back Arcane Warrior? —Robert Pennington, Facebook, United States

[MD]: Something similar will exist, but we'll get to that a bit later on.

Will there be finishing moves as in Dragon Age: Origins (like the jumping final blow seen against ogres)? —Kai Chen, Facebook, Germany

[DK]: No finishing blows; however, many of our damaging abilities are built to have a "good" way to use them, and a "better" way to use them. Mighty Blow is a massive overhead strike available to two-handed warriors that deals damage and knocks a foe to the ground—but if you use it on a foe already on the ground, it deals triple damage.

Is there a completely new combat skill that you can describe/reveal? —@MarkDLentz, Twitter, United States

[DK]: There's a fun one put together by our ability designers, Jon Fuller and Luke Barrett, called Fallback Plan. Only Varric, and possibly your Inquisitor, gain access to this ability, which lets you place a gadget on the ground; if you get into trouble later, you can instantly relocate to that position. If you upgrade it, you'll also be set back to the level of health you had upon placing the gadget, and—if you are standing close to an enemy—you'll kidnap the enemy back with you. By combining this with stealth, and placing traps or mage glyphs under the marker, many hijinks can ensue.

Is health and mana not regenerating between battles still a thing at this point? —@starcicles, Twitter, United States

[DK]: Mana and stamina regenerate. Health does not, requiring you to be careful about overextending yourself in your adventures. Potions are your primary method of healing in the field, though there are a few rare abilities that can be used tactically to regain health.

Will there still be cross-class combos, or any sort of similar system? —@blanketcocoon, Twitter

[DK]: There are cross-class combos, with unique effects caused by different combinations of rogue, mage, and warrior abilities.

Do all mage followers have good healing spells or will some be better at it than others? —Josh Rodrigues, Facebook, United States

[MD]: We are focusing more mage tactics on defensive abilities (like Barrier) than healing.

Are there any other benefits to the Inquisitor's "Fade power" other than being able to close tears in the Fade? —Dominic Freckelton, Facebook

[DK]: Most of the rifts in the Fade are defended by powerful, newly emerged demons that still bear a connection to the Fade. These battles are difficult, but the Inquisitor can use their power to even the odds by getting close enough to "disrupt" the Fade rift during these fights, which will send a powerful shockwave out that heavily damages and stuns its defenders.

[MIKE LAIDLAW]: As the Inquisitor masters his or her control of the mark, it may unlock another use that's a little more global as well.

How, exactly, does focus work in the game? —RJ May, Facebook, United States

[DK]: Focus is earned as a party, but spent as an individual. Focus is given to all party members when any of them damage a foe: this allows lower-damage characters like defensive warriors to fulfill their role while still accumulating focus. After enough is earned, a character can use an ability that costs focus. That character's focus is then spent, but not the focus of their allies, who can still use it for their own abilities.

[ML]: Focus requires you to think long-term. You may need it to get out of a sticky situation, or you may want to save it for a particularly tough battle you're anticipating. Because focus abilities can't be used every fight, the combat team has been able to "turn up" their effectiveness. They can be real game-changers if deployed strategically.

Are there any missions in game that might unlock new spells/abilities for our character, or will it solely be a level up system? —Kristen Coates, Facebook

[MD]: There is one…

[ML]: Mark's being cryptic about one particular element of the game, so I won't spoil that, but I will say that specializations are earned, not granted for free. You will be able to preview all the specialization abilities available to you before you make a choice of which path you want to follow. It's worth noting that unlike in the previous DA games, we've decided to bulk out the specializations more, but you will have to choose one to follow with your character. They add a lot of depth to your tactical options, but we wanted them to be actually special.

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INFO-POST TEIL 4

[patte-chan]

ERÖFFNUNGSPOST

INFO-POST TEIL 2

INFO-POST TEIL 3

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OHP-News: Multiplayer FAQ

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Will Dragon Age: Inquisition have multiplayer?

• Yes, the multiplayer mode in Dragon Age: Inquisition will feature action-packed, four-player cooperative quests separate from the single-player open-world story.

What does the multiplayer in Dragon Age: Inquisition include?

• Dragon Age multiplayer is an action-packed dungeon-crawling four-player co-op experience that lets gamers to play with their friends for the first time in the Dragon Age franchise.
• Following the success of Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode, Dragon Age multiplayer includes fast-paced matches requiring strategic team gameplay while adding Inquisition's tactical class combat and extensive loot and crafting systems.

Was multiplayer (MP) mode created by the same team that made single-player (SP)?

• MP and SP were developed side by side. The multiplayer environment gave us a perfect opportunity for testing combat, creatures, and encounter design, and since the two environments are near-identical, every improvement spread to both parts of the game.

Will playing MP be required to get the full-game experience?

• No. The SP campaign is separate from MP. In SP, you have the support of three specialists who can send agents to missions. MP characters are agents. At the start of a MP mission, you will hear one of the specialists explaining the goal of your mission.

Is MP going to affect my endings in SP?

• No. Absolutely not. Our goal with Dragon Age multiplayer is not to affect your SP campaign. We simply want to give our fans the chance to play with their friends for the first time in the Dragon Age universe.

Will MP have in-game purchases?

• Yes. Platinum is the name of the currency that you can buy with money. Our philosophy for MP—and we are adamant about it—is that you can buy anything with gold coins, which is the currency you get from dungeon-crawling. There will be no pay wall.

Why did you decide to add MP?

• We wanted to give Dragon Age fans the opportunity to play with their friends for the first time in the franchise.

There was a leak of DAI achievements with exclusive MP achievements. Is that the case?

• There will be no exclusive MP achievements. Achievements are one way to keep players engaged, but with Dragon Age multiplayer, we have other ways to improve engagement. We will have a full challenge system implemented at launch, letting you pursue and track dozens of different challenges. Completing a challenge may also give you a reward. The challenge system will also be used to implement weekly operations. Every week, we will launch a new operation. Complete the operation, and you will receive a reward.

Will people who pay to get that extra edge online?

• First and foremost, our goal is to make a fun dungeon-crawling experience that you can play with your friends. There will be no pay walls in Dragon Age multiplayer. Everything is accessible with gold coins. You can use premium currency, but you don't have to.

How long has your team been working on MP?

• Over two years. After Mass Effect 3 MP's success, we created a special team with veterans from the Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. Our lead MP designer and lead online programmer have been on the Dragon Age franchise since Dragon Age: Origins. The addition of designers, programmers, artists, audio, QA, and production from Mass Effect 3 MP will help us ship a really fun co-op game that suits our franchise.

Why four-player co-op instead of a full MP campaign?

• In Dragon Age: Inquisition, we wanted to focus on five key aspects: Open World, Story, Characters, Visuals, and Inquisition. We also have a new engine (Frostbite 3), and we had to create many new tools to support the huge amount of cinematics and localization that a BioWare title requires. A full MP campaign would have been another layer of complexity, and we decided it wasn't the right time for the franchise to take on that feature.

How is crafting different between SP and MP?

• Dragon Age multiplayer is about mastering the fight with friends in a party-based adventure, and crafting is a key element of progression. Through crafting, you will be able to create new items that will make you better at fighting. There is some overlap between SP and MP recipes, and some are exclusive to one mode or the other. Crafting also lets you create new armors. If you craft a set of Alchemist Armor, you unlock that character, who can then open up a lot of possibilities on MP missions. You can also craft new armors for characters you already own. They will give your character a new special look but no extra stats. In SP you gather materials through exploration. In MP you salvage items to get them.

What kind of loot can I get in a dungeon?

• You will find gold coins and items (not potions), and at the end of a mission, you can use gold coins to buy chests. They will contain a variety of different items (weapons, weapon mods, potions, runes, armor, etc.). We are developing Dragon Age multiplayer with quick engagement in mind. We want it to be easy to play a round, acquire new loot, and jump back into the action. Now that you have new cool weapons and armor, why wouldn't you try another mission?

Is any sort of app planned for Dragon Age multiplayer?

• BioWare understands that players can expend a lot of time going through their inventory and crafting new items. We also understand that when you are online with your friends, you want to get into action quickly. With these needs in mind, we developed the Inquisition HQ. There, you will be able to access all of your MP characters and their inventory. You will be able to change your loadout, salvage items, and craft new items. You can do all that on the go because it will run on PCs, tablets, and smartphones. We will give more details about Inquisition HQ in the following months.

Do I get to transfer items from SP to MP? Or vice versa?

• In Dragon Age: Inquisition, you are in charge of the Inquisition, and in Dragon Age multiplayer, you control a few agents of the Inquisition. There is no connection between SP items and MP items on purpose. We wanted to make sure that the two economies are separate, which will allow a stronger progression in both SP and MP. If you play Dragon Age multiplayer, you will learn how each class plays a different role in combat, how different skills work, and how your party composition can give you a tactical advantage on the battlefield. This knowledge is transferable to SP, but items are not.

How do I unlock new characters?

• In Dragon Age multiplayer, changing the party composition with new characters can be the difference between failing and succeeding. You can unlock new characters by crafting their armor. Crafting materials are acquired by salvaging items such as weapons and weapon mods. You may also get a new armor in a chest that you can buy with gold coins. Getting a new character is definitely a goal to be pursued on Dragon Age multiplayer.

How many MP characters will be available at launch?

• Twelve characters, four for each class (warrior, rogue, and mage), will be available at launch. Characters from the same class can be very different. For example, let's take a Legionnaire and a Reaver. A Legionnaire can handle a weapon and shield and plays the role of a classic tank. Generating aggro and soaking up damage are his main role in a party. The Reaver is a two-handed warrior who focuses more on dealing damage and generating aggro, and her skills can buff herself or the entire party. The Legionnaire and the Reaver are both warriors, but depending on your party composition and your style, one may be more suitable than the other.

Can I trade items?

• No. Dragon Age multiplayer won't have an auction house or another system to transfer items between players. If you are unhappy with an item, you can salvage it and get crafting materials. Better weapons give better crafting materials. You can use these materials craft new items in-game or at your Inquisition HQ.

What is the level cap for MP?

• The level cap for Dragon Age multiplayer is 20. Once you hit level 20, you can promote your character, which will give you an extra attribute point for your MP characters. Promoting a character will also give you more Prestige points for the leaderboards.

Are you going to release new characters?

• Dragon Age multiplayer will launch with 12 MP characters, and we will release new characters after launch.

Gut, brauch ich persönlich jetzt nicht unbedingt.

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OHP-News: BioWare at PAX Prime

Spoiler: anzeigen

It’s time to pack our bags and head to the Pacific Northwest, because the last big event of the summer is upon us: PAX Prime! We’re excited to bring Dragon Age: Inquisition to Seattle and give attendees a closer look at the game before it ships in November.
We’ll also have a brand-new demo ready to play exclusively at the Xbox Booth (#412)! Meet our producers, get your burning questions answered, and be the first to play Dragon Age: Inquisition multiplayer content! The Xbox booth is open 10-6 Fri/Sat/Sun and 10-3 Monday.
We’d like to thank our friends at Microsoft, AMD, and Logitech for sponsoring our show this year, and we look forward to seeing all your smiling faces at the BioWare Base (Room 2AB north).
Here’s a schedule of our planned PAX activities at the BioWare Base:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
10:30AM-11:00AM Egg Hunt Kick-Off
11:00AM-12:00PM Dragon Age Single-Player Demo
12:00PM-1:00PM Dragon Age Keep Demo
1:00PM-2:00PM Dragon Age Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
2:00PM-3:00PM Panel: What Excites You in the World of Gaming?
3:00PM-4:00PM Mass Effect Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
4:00PM-5:00PM Panel: Dragon Age Multiplayer
5:00PM-5:30PM Inquisition HQ Demo
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
10:30AM-11:30AM Dragon Age Keep Demo
12:00PM-1:00PM Panel: Not Just Games: The Dragon Age Universe
1:00PM-3:00PM Cosplay Parade
3:00PM-4:00PM Panel: Dragon Age Multiplayer
4:00PM-4:30PM Inquisition HQ Demo
5:00PM-6:00PM Dragon Age Single-Player Demo
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
10:30AM-11:30AM Mass Effect Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
11:30AM-12:30PM Dragon Age Keep Demo
1:00PM-2:00PM Dragon Age Single Player Demo
2:00PM-3:00PM Panel: Merchandise Feedback
3:00PM-4:00PM Panel: Dragon Age Multiplayer
4:00PM-4:30PM Inquisition HQ Demo
5:00PM-6:00PM Dragon Age Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
10:00AM-11:00AM Dragon Age Single-Player Demo
11:00AM-12:00PM Panel: Dragon Age Multiplayer
12:00PM-12:30PM Inquisition HQ Demo
1:00PM-2:00PM Panel: Designing Dragon Age Inquisition
2:00PM-3:00PM Dragon Age Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
2:30PM-3:30PM Mass Effect Signing (+HR Recruitment Q&A)
3:30PM-4:30PM Dragon Age Keep Demo
5:00PM-6:00PM Trivia Contest

Die ersten Infos von der PAX Prime 2014 sind auch schon angekommen. Zum einen hat man dort dem Publikum vorgeführt, wie die Entscheidungen aus den beiden Vorgängern in den dritten Teil übernommen werden:

Spoiler: anzeigen

Und es gibt den ersten Screenshot von der Taktik-Ansicht mit Maus+Tastatur-UI vom PC:



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Die Game Informer hat einen Artikel veröffentlicht, der das HQ der Inquisition im Spiel zum Thema hat:
Dragon Age: Inquisition - What You Need To Know About Skyhold

Passend dazu:

OHP-News: Skyhold Interview, Part 1: Introduction

Spoiler: anzeigen

Last week, Dragon Age fans were introduced to Skyhold—the Inquisition's base of operations—through an article from our friends at Game Informer. Following the article, we caught up with Dragon Age: Inquisition producer Cameron Lee to ask a few follow-up questions.
In part 1 of this interview series, Cameron discusses what Skyhold is used for, what players can do to customize it, who you can interact with there, and more!

[DRAGON AGE]: Can you give us a quick recap on what exactly Skyhold is?

[CAMERON LEE]: Skyhold is a huge fortress and the seat of your power as the leader of the Inquisition. From there, you decide the fate of nations, direct your agents throughout Thedas, pass judgment on your enemies, and decide how you will personally take action against the Elder One.

[DA]: Does Skyhold's appearance change over the course of the game?

[CL]: As you progress, you'll notice some parts of Skyhold expanding and becoming more detailed. Murals may be painted, and trophies collected and mysterious artifacts researched by your Inquisition followers. All of this and more has a physical impact on Skyhold.

[DA]: What areas of Skyhold can players customize?

[CL]: Skyhold can be customized to reflect what sort of Inquisition you're leading. You choose what to do with major parts of the castle such as towers and the courtyard as well as decorations like statues, windows, drapes, furniture, and even the heraldry your Inquisition forces will take into the world.

[DA]: Where can players find additional items to add to their Skyhold?

[CL]: There are many ways for you to obtain new items to personalize your Skyhold. Some are found as you explore the world, others require you to complete side quests, and you can buy some from merchants you'll meet in other towns and cities.



[DA]: Skyhold is enormous! How much time will players have to explore it?

[CL]: You are free to return to and explore Skyhold as often as you like, which means you can talk to all of your followers and major characters you've recruited into the Inquisition. Many of these major characters have their own rooms that reflect their role in the Inquisition.

There are also minor characters for you to engage with: merchants, stablemasters, barkeeps, researchers, blacksmiths, enchanters, and other interesting and diverse people who look to you for leadership.

[DA]: Are there lots of different areas to visit in Skyhold?

[CL]: Skyhold is filled with interesting places to visit! There's a tavern where Inquisition followers are having a drink. A dungeon with your defeated enemies rotting away. Your throne room, where you'll pass judgment on your enemies (but we'll get more into that later).

There's a large library with a research assistant, and a garden where you can choose which plants to grow for making potions. Other locations you can visit include a vault, kitchen, guard tower, rookery, training ground… and that's still not a complete list of all the places you can visit.

[DA]: Skyhold is also equipped to help you prepare for your next battle, right?

[CL]: Absolutely. When you're ready for another adventure or battle, you may want to visit the crafting rooms to forge, enchant, or upgrade armor and weapons. You also can brew potions and poisons at the crafting table. Next, walk over to the stables where you can pick which mount you'll ride on your adventure.

[DA]: Seems like there's still one other area of importance that you haven't mentioned yet…

[CL]: Indeed. Last but not least is the war table, where you can see what's happening throughout the world and whether your agents have reported any new leads on the Elder One.

Join us next week for part 2 of our Skyhold interview with producer Cameron Lee, who will talk to us about the war table in greater depth!

OHP-News: Skyhold Interview, Part 2: The War Table

Spoiler: anzeigen

Two weeks ago, Dragon Age fans were introduced to Skyhold—the Inquisition's base of operations—through an article from our friends at Game Informer. Following the article, we caught up with Dragon Age: Inquisition producer Cameron Lee to ask a few follow-up questions.
In part 2 of this interview series, Cameron discusses the war table, the role of your advisors, and more!

[DRAGON AGE]: All three of the Inquisition's advisors have been introduced, but can you tell us more about their role in the Inquisition?

[CAMERON LEE]: Leliana, Cullen, and Josephine are your primary advisors in the Inquisition. They represent the three pillars of power: espionage, military, and politics. Each of them leads a contingent of agents they send out on operations that help you in your search for and battle against the Elder One.



[DA]: So, each advisor has a specific area of expertise?

[CL]: Exactly. Leliana is the leader of your agents who uncover secrets, assassinate enemies, and sabotage your enemy's organization. Cullen leads your military, so he's focused on building your army and training and equipping your forces so you can use them as a hammer against the Elder One. Josephine uses political power and diplomacy to advance your Inquisition's cause. Each of the advisors will want to approach challenges in different ways, but it's your choice about which action to take.



[DA]: What types of tasks can you carry out from the war table?

[CL]: There are over 300 missions and operations available on the war table, and they can change depending on your previous choices and actions in the game. There's a range of types: scouting missions to establish the first camp in a new area you'd like to explore, building missions to raise structures in the areas you've being exploring, recruitment missions to bring expertise into the inquisition, treaties, resource-gathering, political assassinations, and many, many more.



[DA]: How will players gain influence and power for the Inquisition?

[CL]: You earn influence and power as you explore, overcome enemies, bring stability to regions, complete quests, and close rifts between the world and the Fade. You spend that influence and power at the war table when you send your agents on an operation or begin a new major story plot.

[DA]: What do you get from completing operations through the war table?

[CL]: Operations will give you different rewards such as gold, rare crafting materials, weapons and equipment, new recruits, and even the ability to rebuild structures you've seen on your adventures.

[DA]: Will the advisors have different opinions on the best way to complete an operation?

[CL]: Each of your advisors will want to approach an operation in a different way, which will help determine the outcome and rewards for completing the operation and can potentially affect any follow-up operations.

[DA]: Okay. Are you ready to talk about judgments now?

[CL]: Let's do it!

Join us later this week for part 3 of our Skyhold interview with producer Cameron Lee, who will talk to us about judgments in Dragon Age: Inquisition!

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OHP-News: Abilities Preview: Weapon-and-Shield Warrior

Spoiler: anzeigen

Can't resist an advance peek, but don't want to be completely spoiled? No problem! Here you'll find just a glimpse of the warrior's Weapon and Shield ability tree in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The full list of abilities will be revealed in November.



Dragon Age: Inquisition releases on November 18 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3.

Click here to preorder now.

OHP-News: Skyhold Interview, Part 3: Judgments

Spoiler: anzeigen

Two weeks ago, Dragon Age fans were introduced to Skyhold—the Inquisition's base of operations—through an article from our friends at Game Informer. Following the article, we caught up with Dragon Age: Inquisition producer Cameron Lee to ask a few follow-up questions.
In part 3 of this interview series, Cameron discusses controlling the seat of power at Skyhold and passing judgment on your foes!

[DRAGON AGE]: Let's talk about the role of the Inquisitor. How much power do you have as leader?

[CAMERON LEE]: As the Inquisitor, you have an authority that spans nations, shaping events and issuing commands to your agents throughout a land in strife. Your power over the fate of thousands also has a personal side. The burden of leadership falls to you, and right or wrong, your choices will have an impact on the lives of those who cross your path.



[DA]: That brings us to the topic of judgments in the game. Can you expand a little bit on that?

[CL]: Sure. The innocent, the misguided, the foolish, and the righteous all must decide which side of the conflict they support, but if they choose poorly, they may find themselves standing before your throne awaiting judgment. This is one of the ways you can see a personal side to your enemies and understand their motivations—and just as importantly, it offers you a chance to reflect on your own decisions and actions throughout the game.

[DA]: So, you quite literally assume the role of judge, jury, and executioner?

[CL]: Exactly. When you sit on your throne in Skyhold, your advisors will bring a prisoner to you for judgment. Your advisor will read the charges and provide additional information before you have a chance to question the prisoner yourself. Then you'll be asked to decide their fate. Your choices won't be black and white, but shades in between. Set them free, recruit them into the Inquisition, execute them yourself, make them your court jester, or even make them Tranquil are just some examples of the sentences you can pass in a judgment.

[DA]: As with any decision, there may be repercussions to deal with, right?

[CL]: I'll say this: how you judge your enemies may have an impact on your Inquisition. For example, can you live with having an evil agent join the Inquisition if they make it more effective? Other sentences may affect side quests, operations, Skyhold itself, and even your closest companions, so choose wisely.



Dragon Age: Inquisition releases on November 18 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3.

Click here to preorder now.

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OHP-News: Abilities Preview: A Second Look at the Mage

Spoiler: anzeigen

Can't resist an advance peek, but don't want to be completely spoiled? No problem! Here you'll find a second glimpse of the mage's abilities in Dragon Age: Inquisition. The full list will be revealed in November.



Dragon Age: Inquisition releases on November 18 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3.

Click here to preorder now.

OHP-News: Livestream on Twitch

Spoiler: anzeigen

Join creative director Mike Laidlaw and producer Cameron Lee for a Dragon Age: Inquisition livestream event Monday, September 29th on Twitch. The stream kicks off at 10am PDT / 7pm CEST with a first look at Inquisition’s deep character creation tool, and we’ll customize an Inquisitor from scratch with your suggestions!
Come along with us as we dive into a gameplay demo and explore a never-before-seen area of the game! Hang out in our live chat and interact with us. Have questions about Inquisition? Want to give us suggestions to tweak our Inquisitor’s appearance? We want to hear it.

After the stream, head over to Twitter use the hashtag #MyInquisition to tell us how you are going to play Dragon Age: Inquisition.

See you there!

Daraus lässt sich natürlich ableiten, dass BioWare nun einen Twitch-Kanal hat. Da sind auch bereits ein paar VoDs aufgezeichnet worden, Q&As mit den Web Developern der Dragon Age Keep:

• Dragon Age Keep
  *REPLAY* Dragon Age Keep 1.o
  Dragon Age: Inquisition - New Gameplay Demo! #MyInquisition

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OHP-News: Crafting and Customization Q&A

Spoiler: anzeigen

An introduction to crafting and customization from creative director Mike Laidlaw:
Before we dive into your questions, let's talk about Inquisition's crafting at a high level. Our goal in allowing you to create your own armor and weapons was twofold. First, we wanted you to have a lot of opportunities to customize your look. Second, we wanted to encourage experimentation and, if things were really cooking, targeted creation.

One example we always used when describing the goals of crafting was that of the dragon hunter. We wanted you, as a player, to have the tools necessary to build armor and weapons custom-tooled toward hunting one of our massive namesakes.

To that end, we developed the concept of the schematic. A schematic determines the shape of the blade if you're crafting a sword or the shape of the core armor if you're crafting protective gear. Each schematic takes some combination of metals, leathers, and cloths, and the materials you choose to use determine the effectiveness of the gear, any bonuses built into it, and the visual appearance. A serpentstone blade, for instance, will be a dull greenish color, and onyx will be a shiny black.

Once you have a core piece of gear, you may also be able to upgrade it. If an armor can take upgrades, they will change the shape of the armor as well as add new properties, but will inherit the color scheme of the core body of the armor. Similarly, if you install a new hilt or pommel onto your sword, it will smoothly unify to match the rest of the blade's color scheme.

Oh, and you can name any gear you create, of course. Perhaps you're a Chumbawamba fan and want to call your war hammer "Nugthumper." Who are we to deny you such simple pleasures?

Now let's get to your questions!

If I choose not to craft, will I still be able to find unique or powerful weapons and armor? —Evgeny Negurista, VK.com, Russia

[CHRIS PICKFORD, PRODUCER]: Absolutely, the game doesn't rely on crafting as a necessary component. There are plenty of shiny things to find in Thedas!



[MIKE LAIDLAW]: One of our goals is to let you play the game you want to, so if you want to loot only, loot on!

How will the inventory of your backpack be managed in DAI? Will it be determined by number of slots or weight of objects? —Bejita Saiyajin, Facebook, France

[CP]: Inventory is determined by number of slots. We found this worked better because for most people, it's easier to keep mental track of a straightforward number. Additionally, as you power up your Inquisition, you can improve your inventory slots via Inquisition customization.

Will there be schematics to craft weapons and armor? —Anton Pavlov, VK.com, Russia

[CP]: Yes, schematics are found or bought, and they give you access to a very wide range of options for your weapons and armor.

[ML]: There's quite a wide collection of them, too, and since your Inquisition's crafters are, well, crafty, you can find some pretty exotic mixes. An Enchanter Mail schematic, for instance, might use more metal than normal mage armor schematics, but the result will also look sturdier.

Are craftable weapons comparably strong to looted ones? —Jannis Fritsche, Facebook, Germany

[CP]: They can be, yes. It depends how you manage your crafting materials. For instance, dragon bone is one of the hardest crafting materials you can get. Do you put it into an armor slot to harden your defense? Or do you put it into an attacking slot for high damage per second? Or maybe a utility slot for a strength upgrade? Or what about a masterwork slot for a chance to cast a special attack? Powerful items like these take time, effort, and planning to create.



Can we craft weapons with elemental effects? —@yohanksm, Twitter

[CP]: Absolutely. Both the masterworking system and the runes system can apply elemental effects, some of which can help trigger cross-class combos with other abilities. An example is a masterwork material that gives a chance to cast Chain Lightning on a hit, shocking enemies and setting them up for a detonation attack such as Explosive Shot. Runes are exceptionally useful for targeting specific faction groups such as dragons, demons, and undead.

[ML]: In addition to the rarer systems Chris points out, base enchanting applies visual effects to your weapons as well. The writers have gotten a little competitive in the past few weeks, trying to out-craft one another. A greataxe crackling with electricity is a heck of a thing on the battlefield.

Can mage staves also be modified? —Mari Villoz, Facebook, Spain

[CP]: Yes, staves can also be modified, and they even get some special runes that apply only to them.

[ML]: You can also change the shape of the bottom's blade and the grip, and as with every other modification, you can also build custom mods that apply exactly the properties you want and install them, should off-the-shelf purchased modifications not suit.

Can you craft absolutely unique armor or weapons? —Mikhail Panasyuk, VK.com, Russia

[CP]: Yes, and we even let you name your equipment at the end! Between item creation, modification, runes, and masterworking—you've got a lot to play with.



Will there be new materials to the series to craft items with? —Askold Sivoronsky, VK.com, Russia

[CP]: Yes, we've had to expand the number of crafting materials to cover all the gameplay improvements we wanted to make. There are even some materials that allow characters to wear armor that isn't necessarily allowed for their class… but it's very rare.

Will there be rare crafting materials, or are most of them easy to find? —@FreshRevenge, Twitter

[CP]: As with any major system, it will vary. Common crafting nodes will be plentiful and easy to spot, whereas the rare or legendary crafting nodes will take some exploring to uncover. That said, when you start getting into masterworking, you might find a top-tier common material with an unusual property. For example, iron is a very common material; however, if you find top-tier masterworking iron, it can give you a chance to become Unbowed on a hit. You'll have to find out what that means later.

[ML]: To continue being a tease: you'll find that the Inquisition's crafting capabilities grow over time, too. The system starts out quite flexible, but adds even more complexity after certain events.

COMBO QUESTION!

What level of customization will we have with our companions? —Emil Hellberg, Facebook, Sweden

Does the customization of our companions' outfits show visual changes for them? —Dragon Age Fan Page, Facebook, France





Is there an opportunity to change colors of armor and robes? Also, are there cloaks and hoods in the game? —@Worlddragonage, Twitter

[CP]: All companions have the same customization system as the Inquisitor, so all characters can be modified to your will.

[ML]: The characters do have their own themes, though, so an Enchanter Mail (as referenced above) will look different on Dorian, Solas, Vivienne, and the Inquisitor. Many properties do carry over, though, especially colors, so predominantly red outfits will still be red across characters—they'll just be styled to better reflect their personalities. We figure that, with its army of smiths, the Inquisition can handle a few tweaks here and there. Of course, if you find more emblematic armor, like, say, Grey Warden mail, you can expect that to look like its namesake on whoever wears it.



Will the Inquisitor have civilian or casual clothing to wear while at Skyhold? —Pierrick Boyet Trinity, Facebook, France

[ML]: While you're in Skyhold, your Inquisitor will be in more casual wear, yes.

Will we be able to craft items for "decorating" our keep? —Francis Blaxell, Facebook, Sweden

[CP]: We do allow customization of the keep using themes such as Ferelden or Orlais; however, they are earned in a different system unique to your Inquisition. That said, we do have the requisitions system that interacts directly with crafting and helps you to power up your Inquisition, leading to more cool stuff for Skyhold.

Regarding mounts, will we be able to modify the accessories, color, etc.? —Eaven D. R. Redondo, Facebook, Spain

[CP]: As you progress through Dragon Age: Inquisition, you'll get access to sturdier mounts of different styles and patterns. While you won't be able tweak each component for mounts, we do allow you to choose from different styles and colors for your steed.

Dragon Age: Inquisition releases on November 18 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3.

Click here to preorder now.

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OHP-News: Building the Dragon Age Keep

Spoiler: anzeigen

Dragon Age fans have made some tough decisions over the years – choosing who to kill, who to save, and how to shape their world. Your actions have changed Thedas, and BioWare is making it easy to bring those years of choices into the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition. Instead of relying on you keeping your save files for nearly a decade, it has built a tool that will let you redesign the world to match your choices. It’s called the Dragon Age Keep, and Origin.com caught up with Leah Shinkewski (Producer) and Fernando Melo (Director of Online Development) to find out what inspired the creation of this exciting tool.
The inspiration for the Dragon Age Keep started many years ago. For a franchise like Dragon Age, your impact on the world of Thedas is a core part of the experience - driven by the choices you make. And when Dragon Age II shipped, the complex nature of our plot flag system and the save import really hit home.

The challenge was not only the complexity and subjective nature of the data itself, but also that having the import logic (or evaluation rules) happening inside the game client meant it would be very difficult - if not impossible - to fix. We tried, but usually ended up introducing new ripples into the data sets.

The team knew this was a serious problem, and one that would only continue to grow exponentially. That’s why throughout Dragon Age II we began to work on a concept called the World Vault. After many, many months this eventually became the pillar feature for what we today are calling the Dragon Age Keep.

Since then, with the help of the community we've worked to ensure that going forward, the Keep will stand as the record of your impact in the world of Thedas - dutifully preserved and accurately represented in future products, limited only by creative aspiration of the game team.

You'll be able to explore the Dragon Age Keep later this month, so keep an eye on @DragonAgeKeep to find out exactly when you can start crafting your world. And don't forget – pre-ordering the Dragon Age: Inquisition Digital Deluxe Edition gives you access to a suite of fantastic gear, including exotic mounts, a skull-carved throne, and specialized gear from the Flames of the Inquisition Arsenal.

Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age Keep Q&A

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OHP-News: Dragon Age: Origins is On the House

Spoiler: anzeigen

Relive the opening act of the epic Dragon Age franchise with Dragon Age: Origins, now available On the House with Origin!



Dragon Age: Origins introduced gamers to the rich, detailed world of Thedas, a world filled with deadly mages and powerful dragons. The choice-driven RPG has strategic combat and a personalized story, and it’s free right now with Origin On the House! Just add it to your Origin Game Library and download it whenever you want.

You don’t need to log into Dragon Age: Origins to enjoy the single-player quest; if you see any messages asking you to when you start the game, just skip them, and you’ll be good to go! If you have any questions, visit this FAQ.

Dragon Age: Origins is On the House until October 14th, but once you’ve added it to your library, it’s all yours.

Be sure to pre-order the upcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition, available November 18.

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Scheinbar fiel gestern ein Embargo bezüglich eines Promotiondeals zwischen YouTubern und EA in Zuge dessen ein Haufen Videos veröffentlicht worden.

Spoiler: anzeigen

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age: Inquisition - Character Customization and Gameplay! #MyInquisition

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First Dragon Age: Inquisition PC screenshots, system requirements and hands-on!

Sprawling hills, green pastures, flowing rivers, lots of demons – The Hinterlands of Ferelden are a lovely place. Not that other regions of Thedas are better off. Rifts that link the physical world to the demonic Fade have appeared across the land, allowing hideous monsters to pour through and terrorize as they please. To make matters worse, mages and templars cut each other down at every turn, leaving plenty of collateral damage in their wake. Now, as the leader of the newly-formed Inquisition, it’s up to you and your band of heroes to strengthen your cause through politics and battle and put an end to all the chaos. You’ll need a sharp tongue and a sharper blade if you’re to succeed – thankfully, Dragon Age: Inquisition, a massive RPG by the developers at BioWare, gives you all the tools you’ll need to restore order.

We recently got a hands-on look at the PC version of Dragon Age: Inquisition to get a sense of everything it has to offer. And because BioWare is a developer whose roots are in PC gaming, you can bet this version of Inquisition is the real deal. It's fine-tuned for excellent mouse and keyboard play; it's got dozens of visual and interface options to tweak; and, of course, it's got 4K resolution and AMD Mantle support for the hardcore rig-building crowd. In fact, we’ve teamed up with BioWare to reveal the very first screenshots of the PC version, along with its HUD and system requirements, all of which you’ll find below. But first, let's talk about how the game plays on PC.



During our time in The Hinterlands, we had a nasty run-in with some demons of the Fade. Using the WASD keys for movement, we charged our maul-wielding warrior into the fray, activated one of his abilities via the sleek PC action bar and smashed an enemy square in the face, incapacitating it for a short time. Unfortunately our rogue, a ranged character with a crossbow, was himself the target of some stab-happy monsters. So we quickly switched control over to our tank by clicking on her portrait, and commanded her to taunt the nearby enemies. All was going well – until our party got annihilated by the spellcaster demon, who wiped us from afar with a giant beam of magic. Ouch.



Round Two. This time, we knew we had to focus the caster demon and prevent it from destroying the whole party. As soon as it spawned we switched to the Tactical View by scrolling back on the mouse wheel. With a top-down perspective of the battlefield, we paused the game to plan the attack and strategize on a deeper level. Our rogue dealt bonus damage as long as he was at a higher elevation than his target, so we commanded him to move to a nearby hill. We set our tank to taunt the mage to draw its attention, freeing up our caster and warrior to dish out some damage. After our plan was set in motion, we resumed the action.

Our strategy went off without a hitch. Almost. The enemy spellcaster was hitting hard, so we had to lock it down if we were to prevail. Thankfully our mage and two-handed warrior each had a stun ability. With a few strategic pauses and action commands (plus plenty of potion chugging), we successfully took out the threat. Of course, strategic RPG combat is but a fraction of what Inquisition has to offer. There are massive regions to explore. There are tons of characters to meet and companions to befriend. And there are tough, world-altering decisions to be made. All in a day's work for the Inquisitor.



But now it's time for the real question: does your gaming rig have the (literal) guts to command the Inquisition? If you're looking to crank the settings up a bit, here are the recommended system specs:

Recommended:
OS: Windows 7 or 8.1 64-bit
CPU: AMD six core CPU @ 3.2 GHz, Intel quad core CPU @ 3.0 GHz
System RAM: 8 GB
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 7870 or R9 270, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
Graphics Memory: 2 GB
Hard Drive: 26 GB
DirectX 11

Or, if you're playing on a slightly older setup, here are the minimum system requirements:

Minimum:
OS: Windows 7 or 8.1 64-bit
CPU: AMD quad core CPU @ 2.5 GHz, Intel quad core CPU @ 2.0 GHz
System RAM: 4 GB
Graphics CARD: AMD Radeon HD 4870, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
Graphics Memory: 512 MB
Hard Drive: 26 GB
DirectX 10

The PC version of Inquisition gives you complete control over the look and feel of the game – a true testament to BioWare's love for PC gaming. In fact, the developers are so passionate about it that they agreed to let us come up to their studio and talk to them about their legacy, heritage and commitment to making sure the PC version is one that’ll make you weak in the knees.



Good stuff, yeah? Dragon Age: Inquisition launches on November 18. We know, we know, that feels like an eternity from now. But don't sweat it! In the meantime, check out (or replay) Dragon Age: Origins, our latest On the House offer. You can download and own it right now for free! Playing through Origins is not at all necessary for understanding the events of Inquisition, but it's a great experience that will provide additional context to the world and its rich history.



And don't forget to pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition of Dragon Age: Inquisition for some awesome bonus weapons, armor and mounts that'll make your Inquisitor rule with an iron fist (while riding a Bog Unicorn, naturally). We'll see you in Thedas.

OHP-News: PC System Requirements Revealed

Spoiler: anzeigen

When Dragon Age: Inquisition launches on November 18, players will once again explore the land of Thedas to craft their own, personal adventures. As the Inquisitor, you must lead an ancient organization and put an end to the ongoing war between the mages and templars, as well as seal off numerous rifts that link the physical realm to the demonic Fade. Inquisition promises to be a gripping adventure, featuring a massive world to explore, deep choice-driven storytelling, and awesome strategic RPG combat.
Planning on playing on PC? Good news! Here are some brand-new screenshots of the PC version, along with its system requirements:





Minimum:

OS

Windows 7 or 8.1 64-bit

CPU

AMD quad core CPU @ 2.5 GHz

Intel quad core CPU @ 2.0 GHz

System RAM

4 GB

Graphics CARD

AMD Radeon HD 4870

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

Graphics Memory

512 MB

Hard Drive

26 GB

DirectX

10



Recommended:

OS

Windows 7 or 8.1 64-bit

CPU

AMD six core CPU @ 3.2 GHz

Intel quad core CPU @ 3.0 GHz

System RAM

8 GB

Graphics CARD

AMD Radeon HD 7870 or R9 270

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660

Graphics Memory

2 GB

Hard Drive

26 GB

DirectX

11



* Xbox 360 controller supported

* 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card

* Online Authentication at time of installation



If you haven't explored the world of Dragon Age yet, you're in luck: Dragon Age: Origins is currently On the House, and available for free on Origin. Time is running short, though, so make sure to grab it soon. Though you don't need to play the original game to understand the upcoming RPG, the journey will provide you great context for when you explore Dragon Age: Inquisition on November 18. Pre-order the Dragon Age: Inquisition Digital Deluxe Edition through Origin for special bonus content!

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Dragon Age
‏@dragonage

Confirmed: #DAI resolution is 1080p on PS4, and 900p on Xbox One. We maximized the current potential of each platform.

10:35 - 10. Okt. 2014

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Twitch-Stream: The Dragon Age Keep Q&A

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age: Inquisition - Gameplay with PC controls!

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Spoiler: anzeigen

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INFO-POST TEIL 5

[Itsame]

Der beste Thread im ganzen mag. Respekt patte! Sag mal, hast du dir nicht schon viel zu viel vorweggenommen mit all den Infos? Und wieso hauen die so viele Infos raus. Als ob ich jetzt schon alle meine Mitglieder/Gefährten wissen möchte. DA I wird sowieso ein typisches Bioware Spiel. Auf Mainstream gebürstet, Fokus auf Dialoge (nicht meins) und mit Schlauchleveln gewürzt (DAI sind für mich ebenso kleine Areale). Wird mal günstig nachgeholt.

[patte-chan]

Ach was, so viel über den eigentlichen Inhalt ist ja noch nicht bekannt. Außerdem glaub ich nicht an Spoiler.
Und ich weiß nicht, ob ich Areale wie den Western Approach, die Exalted Plains oder den Fallow Mire als Schlauchlevel bezeichnen würde. (Zumal die "kleinen Areale" ja von der Fläche her größer sein sollen als ganz "Dragon Age: Origins".)

[Spike]

Auch von mir Respekt für deine Arbeit. Auch wenn ich deine Postings immer total überfliege und nicht weiter anschaue, da ich mich komplett überraschen lassen möchte. Ja, auch das zeigen bestimmte Gebiete und alter Charaktere ist für mich ein Spoiler. Ich will mich mal komplett überraschen lassen ...

[patte-chan]

ERÖFFNUNGSPOST

INFO-POST TEIL 2

INFO-POST TEIL 3

INFO-POST TEIL 4

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OHP-News: Social Media Kits & Wallpapers

Spoiler: anzeigen

Does your Facebook cover photo need more Dragon Age? Could your mobile device or tablet benefit from the Inquisitor’s protection from tears in the Fade? Would The Iron Bull’s hulking presence on your desktop background bring a smile to your face? We’ve got you covered.
To help ease the wait until November 18, we’re offering these downloadable Dragon Age: Inquisition kits free of charge! Pick your favorite follower, show support for your platform of choice, or update your background with the newest key art. The choice is yours.

Instructions
Step 1: Click the link from your computer to download a kit
Step 2: Enjoy!


Facebook Cover Photos


Twitter Header Images


Desktop Backgrounds


iPhone Wallpapers
iPhone 4/iPhone 5/iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus


iPad Wallpapers
iPad Air / iPad Mini


Android Wallpapers

Twitch-Stream: BioWare Keep! #keeptwitch

Wie im Video ja erwähnt, startet die offene Beta der Dragon Age Keep am 29. Oktober 2014.

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age: Inquisition! On Xbox One!

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age Keep! #keeptwitch

Twitch-Stream: Raptr Extra Life: BioWare with Dragon Age: Inquisition

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LISTEN TO THE TITLE THEME OF DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION



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Die Dragon Age Keep ist seit heute in der Open Beta.



OHP-News: Introducing The Dragon Age Keep

Spoiler: anzeigen

The world of Dragon Age has a rich history, with many pivotal moments playing out over the course of the previous games. A new ruler took the throne of Ferelden. An Archdemon was slain. A war between templars and mages erupted. Along the way, decisions large and small that shaped their personal Dragon Age experience were made by each player.
That's why we created the Dragon Age Keep, a web app designed to run on modern browsers using HTML5 technology. No downloads or installations required! Because Dragon Age: Inquisition does not support a traditional save-import feature, the Keep is how you’ll transfer your previous decisions into the game by creating your own unique world history.

Inside the Keep exists the story of Dragon Age, and through it you’ll relive the adventure with over 300 decisions to choose from. You can customize as much or as little as you want to create the world state you'll start Inquisition with. If you’ve forgotten the plot involved in some of these decisions, we’ve got you covered. Each choice offers context to help jog your memory.

However, playing the previous Dragon Age games is not required to enjoy or understand the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Inquisition was designed to be the perfect entry point to the series. Start a new game and it will be populated with a default world state for you to make your own.

Not every decision from the previous games will necessarily impact Dragon Age: Inquisition. Think of the Keep as a record of the journey you’ve taken so far: an archive for your personal Dragon Age story past, present, and future.

Using the Keep also allows you to change platforms for Dragon Age: Inquisition without missing a beat. If you played Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age II on one platform and want to play Inquisition on another, you can!

Ready to begin? First you’re going to need an Internet connection, an Origin account, and a computer, mobile device, or console with a modern web browser.

• Visit www.dragonagekeep.com and log in with your Origin account.
• Watch and make a few key choices in the Interactive Story Summary, then use the Tapestry to further customize choices from Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and all DLCs, to create your first world state.
• If you want to see how the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition are affected by different decisions, don’t worry. The Keep supports multiple world states and even allows you to share world states with friends, so they can play with your world state in their game. How cool is that?
• Once you’re satisfied, open the World State Manager, and select "Export to Inquisition" to use that world state on the start of a new game of Inquisition.

So, you’ve created your ideal world state. What happens now?

• Start a new game of Dragon Age: Inquisition on any platform.
• When prompted, login in using your Origin account and select the option to import a world state from the Keep. IMPORTANT: You must use the same Origin account with Inquisition that you used to create your world state on the Keep.
• After you’ve loaded a world state into Dragon Age: Inquisition, it’s automatically stored on your platform. Meaning, from that point on you do not have to use the Keep and your decisions will still be recorded.

That’s it! Once you’ve completed these steps, your world state will be loaded into Dragon Age: Inquisition, and your game will begin. Be well, Inquisitors.

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OHP-News: Interview: Michael Kent

Spoiler: anzeigen

What were some of the inspirations behind the audio in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

[MICHAEL KENT]: Early on in the project we set out to redefine the audio for the Dragon Age series. We started by reviewing the last two games and came up with a top 10 do’s and don’ts list. We also spent some time figuring out what sets Inquisition apart from the other two games. We decided that we wanted the game to sound very dynamic, where the audio was always moving and changing, lots of highs and lows, loud and quiet moments.

The goal was to inform the player of the impact and worth of their actions through aural feedback when interacting with the world. By making the world believable and captivating through audio, this will help completely immerse the player as they explore the Dragon Age world.

Why does the audio in video games matter?

[MK]: Audio is 50% of the experience when playing a video game. Audio provides emotion, and also helps tell the story. Audio is what immerses the player in the game.

How does a video game soundtrack begin to take shape?

[MK]: Early on in the process we start to define different aspects of audio for the game. We wanted the music for Dragon Age: Inquisition to be sweeping, thematic, and emotional. We then had to decide what the major themes for the game were, and define them emotionally. Once we have an idea of what we want, we then look for a composer who can deliver what we are looking for.



What did you listen to in order to get into the right frame of mind to build the Inquisition soundtrack?

[MK]: A lot of Trevor Morris, who composed the score for Dragon Age: Inquisition. Trevor is excellent at writing strong themes and delivering epic music, so early on I knew I wanted him to score Inquisition. He was the perfect fit!

How did you get started working in video games?

[MK]: I’ve been doing audio-related stuff for a long time. Tinkering with samplers and synths since the mid-90s. In 2003 I went to the VFS sound design program, and through this I got a job as an intern at BioWare and have been making games here ever since!

In general, what makes a powerful video game soundtrack?

[MK]: I think what makes a powerful soundtrack is strong themes. If you look at movies like Star Wars, they had very strong and memorable themes. Everyone knows Darth Vader’s theme.

Having music play when appropriate is very important, and too much music can numb the players’ emotions, so it’s really important to find a balance. Less is more with music to get as much emotional impact as you can.

What types of emotions are you hoping to invoke with the audio in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

[MK]: Basically we want to drive whatever emotion we are trying to deliver as a game as a whole. Whether it’s happy, sad, powerful, or spooky, we need to support these with audio.



Is there anything surprising about how you created some of the sound effects or audio in Dragon Age: Inquisition? Any anecdotes about having to be creative?

[MK]: I think setting a vision early on with guidelines helps the creative process as a whole. When creating the sound for something, I like to write down the different aspects of what it is I’m trying to create and go from there. Iteration is key in honing in on what you are trying to achieve. Talking with the writers and visual artist is also very important in delivering a well-balanced experience.

Creating your source early on for the game is very important to locking down the sonic scape of the game. For Dragon Age: Inquisition we made a very large source library early on using the guidelines we set out in the audio vision. This was fundamental in creating a cohesive audio experience for a game as large in scope as Inquisition. It’s like prepping before cooking and having all your ingredients ready on hand. Ensures a consistent style between sound designers.

Twitch-Stream: Live from Cologne! We love you guys. DA:I Storm Coast

Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age Keep Halloween Twitch Edition (with Pandas)

Blog-Post: Dragon Age: Inquisition Has Gone Gold

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Dragon Age: The Last Court

A while ago we revealed that we’d been collaborating with Bioware on a secret project. Terrible oaths have kept us silent. We wrote our names on a page of flesh beneath a weeping moon. But now we are released from our promises. And we intend to spill.

We are proud to reveal Dragon Age: The Last Court, a very Failbettery game set just before the forthcoming Dragon Age: Inquisition. It will be playable in your browser and features the text-driven, story-rich gameplay that powers Fallen London.

In Dragon Age: The Last Court, you are the ruler of Serault: an eccentric fiefdom at the farthest ends of Orlais. As the Huntress or the Scholar you’ll guide your realm through the most crucial period in its history. Will its ancient Shame be forgiven? Or will Serault fall into obscurity?

This is a game of lordship. You’ll manage the affairs of your court. You’ll choose a counsellor, a bodyguard, an accomplice and a lover. You’ll balance the concerns of your subjects. Will Serault be renowned for its dignity or its freedom? What is the greatest threat: outlaws, revolutionaries, or the the nameless ancient things that slither in its deep woods? There are stories to explore and secrets to unravel. What lies in the Sealed Chantry? Who is the Horned Knight? Who is behind Serault’s recent troubles? You’ll meet a host of new characters, like the Purveyor of Teas and the Acerbic Dowager. And maybe you’ll run into a few familiar faces from other Dragon Age titles…

Working with Bioware has been something Alexis and I have dreamed of since we used to build modules in Neverwinter Nights. Or maybe even earlier, around the time Sarevok killed Gorion. Damn you, Sarevok. We can’t quite believe it’s actually happened.

The Last Court will be available soon as part of the improbably sexy Dragon Age Keep. We’ll be shouting about it the moment it’s live.

Chris Gardiner



You can see some preview videos of the game here:

AbilityDrain’s video
GamerMD83′s video
LadyInsanity’s video

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OHP-News: Dragon Age: Inquisition on EA Access

Spoiler: anzeigen

Have you heard about EA Access? It's a new service available exclusively to Xbox One with all kinds of cool perks. For $4.99 per month, you get access to The Vault, where you can download and play the best of EA's games to your heart's content.



EA Access members can also download upcoming EA games before their release date to try for a limited time. If you enjoy the game, buy it from the Xbox One Marketplace on release day (with a 10% discount, exclusive to members) and keep playing. Your progress will carry over into the full game!

We're excited to announce the details for Dragon Age: Inquisition's trial through EA Access. Beginning November 13, EA Access members can download a trial of the game and experience up to six hours of play. Want to create your Inquisitor and start your journey? Want to try your hand at multiplayer mode? The choice is entirely up to you!

For more information about EA Access, click here.

OHP-News: 12 Things to Do in 6 Hours of Dragon Age: Inquisition

Spoiler: anzeigen

Are you ready to lead the Inquisition? Beginning November 13, EA Access members will be able to download a trial of Dragon Age: Inquisition on Xbox One and experience six hours of gameplay before the full game releases on November 18. Best of all, your progress will carry over!
In an effort to help you get the most out of your six hour trial period, we've put together a list of twelve things possible to do during that time. Are you up for the challenge?

1. Create your Inquisitor. The game begins with the creation of your Inquisitor. Personalize your hero's race, class, and appearance. There's trillions of character possibilities!



2. Witness the blast that tears a giant hole in the sky. Dragon Age: Inquisition's story kicks off with a bang. You'll get no spoilers from us!



3. Form the Inquisition with Cassandra and Leliana. Every journey begins with the first step. See the Inquisition at the point of its humble beginning.



4. Discover the Hinterlands. The Hinterlands is a massive area in the world of Thedas, ripe for exploration. With the war between templars and mages at a fever pitch, watch your step. You might get caught in the crossfire.



5. Explore a cave. Treasures are rarely hidden in plain sight. What secrets will you uncover by venturing underground?



6. Experience real-time and tactical combat. How you choose to engage in combat is entirely up to you. Jump into battle and start crushing your enemies with real-time combat, or pause the game to survey your enemies and surrounding environment and issue commands to your party before resuming play.



7. Fight a dragon. Dragons are the apex predators of Thedas and will surely rank among the toughest battles you'll face. Make sure you're well stocked on supplies before engaging this massive creature.



8. Meet a trio of followers. As the Inquisition's reputation grows, you'll discover characters throughout your travels who want to join the Inquisition and fight by your side. During the early stages of your adventure, you'll have the opportunity to get acquainted with Cassandra, Varric, and Solas.



9. Use the war table. The Inquisition's war table is a powerful asset. Issue commands to your agents all over Thedas and complete missions that will aid in the advancement of the Inquisition.



10. Close a Fade rift. The Inquisitor has a mysterious power, one that grants the ability to close tears in the Fade and stop the demon assault.



11. Experiment with crafting. As you gather schematics, recipes, and materials, you can put them to good use by crafting upgrades for your gear—or entirely new gear. Upgrade your armor, create a sword with elemental properties, or just stockpile healing potions.



12. Try out multiplayer mode. Band together with other players over Xbox Live and test your luck completing a dungeon. Can you work as a team? You'll need to in order to survive these punishing missions.



Dragon Age: Inquisition releases on November 18 for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3.

Click here to preorder now.

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age Multiplayer Gameplay! #MyInquisition


Twitch-Stream: The Dragon Age Keep Q&A with Failbetter Games

Dragon Age: The Last Court ist also demnach live und kann über die Dragon Age Keep erreicht werden.

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OHP-News: The Inquisition is Near

Spoiler: anzeigen

You can feel it in the air, can't you? November 18 is almost here! Before you know it, you'll be leading the Inquisition, bonding with a cast of legends, exploring the vast world of Thedas, and vanquishing more enemies than you can shake a flaming sword at.
During this very exciting time, advance copies of the game are starting to arrive at the offices of gaming news sites, and hands-on previews are going live around the Internet at a blistering pace. With so many previews popping up, we decided to compile all that great coverage in one easy-to-find location: right here on this blog!

So, without any further ado, here's what they're saying about Dragon Age: Inquisition:

Gamespot: Will Dragon Age: Inquisition Restore the Faith?

"I was pretty impressed with the character creation, unexpectedly so… They're much more in depth that I expected them to be."

Polygon: Dragon Age: Inquisition: the first five hours

"It's a testament to BioWare's ability to forge a connection between myself and the world of its games that I was willing to replay this same stretch of game so many times while also on a deadline."

GamesBeat: Dragon Age: Inquisition ties your smallest actions into a continent-wide power struggle

"…the maps to each of Inquisition's many, visually distinct areas are loaded with objectives big and small."



PC Gamer: Dragon Age Inquisition: Hands-on with the first five hours

"…Bioware's [sic] invariably smart approach to player choice and creating an interesting, relatable cast is even more welcome than normal."

The Escapist: Dragon Age is Back in a Big Way with Dragon Age: Inquisition

"There's just a lot to see and do, and the world feels more alive than ever - I even got to witness a dragon and a giant beating each other up."

MMORPG: Dragon Age: Inquisition Previews: An Action RPG for a New Generation

"…it's clear that Bioware [sic] has gone all in to create a current-gen Dragon Age game."

GameTrailers.com: Dragon Age: Inquisition

"They've really taken it to the next level with what they've done with Frostbite…"



GamesIndustry.biz: What to expect from the Inquisition?

"Bigger than the previous two combined and combining the best of both, this is an RPG for the post-Skyrim audience."

Game Revolution: Dragon Age: Inquisition Preview

"…Electronic Arts allowed me to create my own character, to learn of his unique ability to close a blight on mankind, and to discover that sometimes, you need to grind a little to reap a lot of gold."

Gaming Trend: Dragon Age Inquisition Hands-On Preview – The game they've always wanted to make

"Suffice it to say that the team at Bioware [sic] has taken their writing to a whole new level, and fans of their storytelling style will not be disappointed."



Canadian Online Gamers: Dragon Age: Inquisition Hands-On Preview – Get Ready RPG Fans, This Will Be Way Better Than DA2

"…my faith in the series was revitalized and I'm genuinely looking forward to getting much deeper into the game."

Gaming Nexus: Dragon Age: Inquisition

"This is the sort of game that you can get sucked into and lose yourself in…"

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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age: Inquisition - Prologue #MyInquisition
Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age: Inquisition - Prologue on Xbox One #MyInquisition



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Twitch-Stream: Dragon Age Multiplayer #DAI #DAMP

OHP-News: The Reviews Are In

Spoiler: anzeigen

Dragon Age: Inquisition is less than a week away from release, and we couldn’t be more excited! After years of hard work bringing Inquisition to life, we can’t wait to get the game into your hands and share the adventure with you. We’re extremely proud of the game we’ve created, but don’t just take our word for it. The reviews are in, and the critics have spoken!
Here’s what they’re saying about Dragon Age: Inquisition:

"Inquisition sets the bar for what a blockbuster RPG should be." 100 - Joystiq

"Do yourself a favor and pick up the best RPG of the year." 100 - ZTGD / N4G

"...an expansive and unforgettable journey." 95 - Game Informer

"a game of extraordinarily rare scope." 95 - Polygon

"It offers the thrill of discovery and the passion of camaraderie." 90 - GameSpot



"...not only one of the most expansive RPGs I’ve ever played, but one of the few that successfully fills its gorgeous, massive world with meaningful things to do and see." 88 - IGN

"The world of Thedas is an inviting glimpse into complicated fantasy, now with that new-generation gleam and polish." 87 - GamesBeat

“Inquisition is taking you on a long and satisfying journey" 87 - PC Gamer

"...packed with fun things to do that will keep you busy for weeks." 85 - Destructoid

"Dragon Age: Inquisition is a robust and immensely enjoyable game with hours upon hours worth of quests to explore." 80 - GamesRadar

"The Epic RPG You’ve Been Waiting For" – MTV

"...a grand romp through a breath-taking fantasy setting." – TIME Techland

"Dragon Age: Inquisition’s beautiful world isn’t just a theme park looking to entertain with pre-built rides, it makes you feel like a part of the equation with major choices to be made, and often." 85 – Crave Online



So, what are you waiting for? There’s only a few more days left to preorder, and you get the awesome Flames of the Inquisition weapons pack as a bonus. That’s right, FLAMING WEAPONS! Preorder through Origin and you’ll also receive a $10 game credit to boot. How can you go wrong?

Still undecided? Click here to learn more about the game.

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OHP-News: Tips & Tricks

Spoiler: anzeigen

Dragon Age: Inquisition is a huge game with vast lands to explore and many things to do. In fact, on my personal completionist playthrough, I logged 20 hours of game time discovering the world of Thedas before even completing the first major quest in the game! Yes, Inquisition is indeed massive.
It is also a game about choice, where the decisions you make will shape the world. As the Inquisitor, you lead the most influential force in all of Thedas. People will place their hope in you and turn to you to do what's best to stop the threat that is destroying the world.

Of course, perhaps the most important decision you'll make is determining what type of Inquisitor you will create. Will you be male or female? Will you be human, elf, dwarf, or Qunari? Which class will you play as?

If that all sounds a bit intimidating, don't worry! In the first of our tips-and-tricks video series, we take a closer look at the classes of Dragon Age: Inquisition. Not only does the video discuss the differences between the warrior, rogue, and mage classes, it goes even deeper to detail the specializations for each. No matter how you like to play, Inquisition offers an experience to match. Watch the video and see which play style is the right one for you!



The Inquisition is nearly upon us. Lead them or fall.

David Hulegaard

Dragon Age Community Manager, BioWare

[Itsame]

Bei so einer Aussage von Bioware wird mir einfach nur noch schlecht:
http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/dragon-ag ... 79963.html

[Spike]

Mir nicht, denn das ist es, was Baldurs Gate & Co ausgemacht hat. mit Dragon Age 2 ist man davon weg und jetzt merkt man plötzlich, dass eine offene Welt mit vielen Möglichkeiten zum Erkunden doch nicht so schlecht ist.

[Grant_Nicholas]

Jop, das zusammen mit einem 1-Stunde Gameplay Video, welches ich auszugsweise gesehen habe, haben mir jetzt endgültig gereicht um vorerst großen Abstand zu DA:I zu nehmen. Die seelenlose Welt von Skyrim hat mir schon gereicht, da brauche ich in einem Dragon Age nicht auch sowas

[Spike]

Ich gucke seit Monaten keine Videos mehr und lasse mich überraschen. Noch hab ich Vertrauen das Bioware das hinbekommt. Seelenlos wird das Spiel sicher nicht.

[patte-chan]

Das ist ja nun wirklich keine News. Dass man in Richtung Skyrim geschaut hat, was es in puncto Erkundung richtig gemacht hat, hat man schon vor zwei Jahren gesagt. (Und auf einmal hieß es überall Inquisition werde Open World. )

[Grant_Nicholas]

Mich hat eher das Gameplay-Video abgeschreckt als diese Aussage. Je näher der Release heranrückt, desto skeptischer werde ich

[Spike]

Hab grad mal gespinkst. Gameplay sieht ok aus. Zwar ein wenig bunt durch die Zaubereffekte aber sonst ... man kann pausieren und dann gehts in die Draufsicht, wo man Befehle erteilen und stacken kann. Werde meine Vorbestellung bestehen lassen ...

Ist der Thread bei euch auch so lahm wegen der ganzen Videos? Zeit für ne neue Seite

[patte-chan]

Oh, es gibt sicher einige Punkte, die manche Genre-Veteranen sicher irritieren oder sogar aufregen wird. Der Wegfall von Heilmagie zum Beispiel (kann ich mit leben. Fällt auch nur quasi weg.) oder dass man zum Angreifen ne Taste gedrückt halten muss (außer in der Taktikansicht) und dass beim Levelaufstieg Attributpunkteverteilung wegfällt. (Finde ich persönlich eigentlich unnötig, auch wenn man Attribute durch Crafting steigern kann.)
Ich persönlich mag auch das Art Design, dass von der Nordeuropäischen Renaissance inspiriert wurde (was auch die starken Farben erklärt) und vor allem das Sounddesign und den Soundtrack. (den ich bisher gehört hab.)

Ich bin jedenfalls gespannt, wie der allgemeine Konsens ausfallen wird. Erste Eindrücke sollte es ja bald geben, am 11. November soll ja das Review-Embargo enden. (Was Sinn ergibt, da Xbox One User ab dem 13. November mittels EA Access 6 Stunden spielen können.) Previews von den 4-bis-6-Stunden-Anspielevents in San Francisco und Köln trudeln ja so langsam ein.

[Itsame]

Oh, es gibt sicher einige Punkte, die manche Genre-Veteranen sicher irritieren oder sogar aufregen wird. Der Wegfall von Heilmagie zum Beispiel (kann ich mit leben. Fällt auch nur quasi weg.) oder dass man zum Angreifen ne Taste gedrückt halten muss (außer in der Taktikansicht) und dass beim Levelaufstieg Attributpunkteverteilung wegfällt. (Finde ich persönlich eigentlich unnötig, auch wenn man Attribute durch Crafting steigern kann.)
Ich persönlich mag auch das Art Design, dass von der Nordeuropäischen Renaissance inspiriert wurde (was auch die starken Farben erklärt) und vor allem das Sounddesign und den Soundtrack. (den ich bisher gehört hab.)

Oh mann, und da haben wirs. Wie bescheuert ist denn das? Jahrelang werden die Rpgs immer dümmlicher. Charakterprogression und Bildung des eigenen Charakters (im Sinne von Werten, Job, etc.) sind doch die Grundpfeiler eines Rpgs. Aber hauptsache Skyrim (ausgerechnet) anpeilen, welches ebenfalls stark versimplifiziert war.

Und man muss eine Taste gedrückt halten, um anzugreifen? Oh wie ich das hasse, wenn Entwickler versuchen Echtzeit und Rundenstrategie- Kampfsysteme zu kombinieren. Das ist nichts anderes (Echtzeit) als ein verkrüppeltes Rundenstrategiesystem, wo durch das gedrückt halten sichergestellt wird, dass die gleichen Animationen abgespielt werden, die auch im Rundenmodus automatisch stattfinden. Gebt mir Rundenstrategie, von mir aus. Aber in Echtzeit will ich meine Hiebe planen, direkt ausführen können. So wie in MH. Ich will die Auswirkungen meiner Kampfentscheidungen direkt spüren können. Eigentlich ist das ein Gamebreaker für mich. Bei sowas fühle ich mich immer zum zuschauen verdammt und nicht involviert.

(ich habe mich absichtlich nicht viel informiert, ich weiß eh was das für ein Spiel wird. war ja klar)

edit: hab große sorgen, das die maps zu schlauchig sind. hab grad auf gametrailers diese verschneiten länder gesehen. viel zu schlauchig.

[patte-chan]

Oh mann, und da haben wirs. Wie bescheuert ist denn das? Jahrelang werden die Rpgs immer dümmlicher. Charakterprogression und Bildung des eigenen Charakters (im Sinne von Werten, Job, etc.) sind doch die Grundpfeiler eines Rpgs. Aber hauptsache Skyrim (ausgerechnet) anpeilen, welches ebenfalls stark versimplifiziert war.

Was Grundpfeiler eines RPGs sind, darüber lässt sich bis in alle Ewigkeit diskutieren, weil das jeder andere Präferenzen hat. Der eine findet Leveln wichtig, der andere Charaktererstellung und wieder ein anderer sagt, Entscheidungen zu treffen sei das Wichtigste. Streng genommen wurde die Individualisierung der Charaktere nur verlegt, von festen Charakterattributen zu Attributsboni in Ausrüstung. (Wobei, wie gesgat, man imo auch beides hätte machen können.)
Charakterentwicklung in Skyrim funktioniert ja immer noch ganz anders.

Und man muss eine Taste gedrückt halten, um anzugreifen? Oh wie ich das hasse, wenn Entwickler versuchen Echtzeit und Rundenstrategie- Kampfsysteme zu kombinieren. Das ist nichts anderes (Echtzeit) als ein verkrüppeltes Rundenstrategiesystem, wo durch das gedrückt halten sichergestellt wird, dass die gleichen Animationen abgespielt werden, die auch im Rundenmodus automatisch stattfinden. Gebt mir Rundenstrategie, von mir aus. Aber in Echtzeit will ich meine Hiebe planen, direkt ausführen können. So wie in MH. Ich will die Auswirkungen meiner Kampfentscheidungen direkt spüren können. Eigentlich ist das ein Gamebreaker für mich. Bei sowas fühle ich mich immer zum zuschauen verdammt und nicht involviert.

Ich hab mich auch schon gefragt, warum man das wieder eingebaut hat. Ich weiß, dass man bei den Konsolenversionen von Dragon Age II manuell angreifen musste und es dort zumindest per Patch nachgereicht wurde, dass man Auto Attack aktivieren kann. Aber scheinbar wäre das ja genau das Gegenteil von dem, was du willst. Im BSN will man auch lieber, dass Charaktere von alleine angreifen, anstatt dass man ne Taste gedrückt halten muss. (Ich spiel auch schon mit dem Gedanken, es deswegen mit 'nem Controller zu spielen. )

edit: hab große sorgen, das die maps zu schlauchig sind. hab grad auf gametrailers diese verschneiten länder gesehen. viel zu schlauchig.

Ist in etwa so schlauchig wie The Elder Scrolls, ja. Wenn das einem zu schlauchig ist, kann man wohl nix machen.

[Grant_Nicholas]

Also zumindest die Dungeons in Skyrim waren enorm schlauchig. Das gilt aber genauso für Dragon Age Origins.

[Itsame]

edit: hab große sorgen, das die maps zu schlauchig sind. hab grad auf gametrailers diese verschneiten länder gesehen. viel zu schlauchig.

Ist in etwa so schlauchig wie The Elder Scrolls, ja. Wenn das einem zu schlauchig ist, kann man wohl nix machen.

Na dann schau dir mal das Video an. Direkt am Anfang läuft man in der Wildnis nur geradeaus. Ebenso später im Video läuft man durch Felsschläuche.

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/khhb ... nquisition

[patte-chan]

Na dann schau dir mal das Video an. Direkt am Anfang läuft man in der Wildnis nur geradeaus. Ebenso später im Video läuft man durch Felsschläuche.

http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/khhb ... nquisition

Wie man den Dialogen von Cassandra und Varric entnehmen kann, ist das scheinbar das Intro des Spiels in Haven, welches ja meines Wissens nach keines der Questareale ist. Nachvollziehbar, dass man da noch nicht vor der Story flüchten kann.

http://www.twitch.tv/bioware/b/577781873 Hier sollte man einen besseren Eindruck von Erkundung und der Steuerung mit Maus und Tastatur gewinnen.

[Itsame]

he patte,
vor langer zeit habe ich mal ein video gesehen. wirds so stabwaffen geben? daibos? hätte lust mir so nen holy monk zu basteln. ich glaube irgendwo habe ich mal gesehen, dass es zweihandstäbe geben wird

[patte-chan]

Waffen sind die selben wie in den beiden Vorgängern. Einhandwaffe & Schild oder Zweihandwaffen für Krieger, zwei Dolche oder Bogen für Schurke und Stäbe für Magier. Die Spezialisierungen der Klassen haben sich teilweise etwas geändert:

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Krieger

• Champion
  Diese mächtigen Beschützer bewahren ihre Verbündeten vor Schaden, indem sie verheerenden Angriffen mit enormem Können und wilder Entschlossenheit standhalten. Ihre Gegner können sie nicht töten – und die Begegnung mit ihnen normalerweise auch nicht überleben.
• Plünderer
  Je blutiger die Schlacht wird, desto grausamer werden diese ebenso erbitterten wie tödlichen Krieger. Wer sie verletzt, macht sie nur wütend – und nur die wenigsten Gegner leben lange genug, um diesen Fehler zweimal zu begehen.
• Templer
  Diese unerbittlichen Krieger haben sich auf den Kampf gegen Magier und Dämonen spezialisiert. Sie überwinden jegliche gegnerische Magie und nutzen ihre rechtschaffene Macht, um Verbündete zu inspirieren und zu beschützen.

Schurke

• Artificer
  Diese Spezialisten nutzen tödliche Fallen, um das Schlachtfeld zu kontrollieren. Weder sie noch ihre Sprengfallen sind je dort, wo ihr Gegner sie vermutet.
• Assassine
  Jeder Schurke kann sein Ziel töten, doch Assassinen machen aus dem Tod eine Kunstform. Sie sind auf schnelle, tödliche Angriffe spezialisiert, nach denen sie wieder unbemerkt in den Schatten verschwinden, oder schalten ihre Gegner auf indirekte Weise aus, während sie selbst in sicherer Entfernung sind.
• Sturmweber
  Diese unberechenbaren Experten haben sich auf die Verwendung alchemistischer Mixturen spezialisiert, mit deren Hilfe sie sich in Frost oder Flammen hüllen. Schnell, chaotisch und vielleicht sogar verrückt, stürzen sie sich in den Kampf und fordern ihre Gegner heraus, sich dem Sturm zu stellen.

Magier

• Ritterlicher Verzauberer
  Diese Magier sind nicht nur selten, sondern haben auch die besondere Genehmigung der Kirche, ihre Kunst in der Schlacht auszuüben. Sie rufen Klingen aus dem Nichts herbei und sind Experten auf dem Gebiet des Schutzes und der Verteidigung.
• Nekromant
  Diese Magier haben sich darauf spezialisiert, vom Tod angezogene Geister zu binden. Sie können in Gegnern die Angst vor dem Tod wecken, Geister dazu bringen, an ihrer Stelle zu kämpfen, und sogar vernichtende Explosionen verursachen, wenn ein Gegner stirbt.
• Rissmagier
  Diese Magier greifen auf die Kräfte des Nichts zu, um entweder Materie aus dem Nichts zu ziehen oder den Schleier zu einer Waffe zu formen, mit der sie ihre Gegner ins Straucheln bringen oder zermalmen können.

Spezialisierung gibt's diesmal allerdings nur eine pro Charakter. Während man die Talentpunkte respeccen kann, bleibt die ausgewählte Spezialisierung dauerhaft und kann nicht gewechselt werden.

Etwas, das einem Kriegermönch entspricht, gibt es nicht wirklich. (Würde auch nicht ins Setting passen.)