Dragon Age: THE VEILGUARD

Hershy said:
https://x.com/dragonage/status/1800196133517660204/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1800196133517660204¤tTweetUser=dragonage

This actually looks terrific. Nothing like that atrocious CGI reveal trailer.

Hope is alive.
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Yar, that looks good. 'Feels' much more what I want a new Dragon Age game to feel like than that cringe-y trailer.

With that said, I had seen a post on Twitter about the trailers that were released for Dragon Age: Origins, and they were pretty cringe-y too.
 
SeymourGore said:
Yar, that looks good. 'Feels' much more what I want a new Dragon Age game to feel like than that cringe-y trailer.

With that said, I had seen a post on Twitter about the trailers that were released for Dragon Age: Origins, and they were pretty cringe-y too.
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The DA:O trailers were badass.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzD3iyE-_10


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k81SFkhFG4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoEol-5Epfg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGbgcmNxFh4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRcrlgN7Dk4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxqpTAVLADY
 
Armenius said:
The DA:O trailers were badass.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzD3iyE-_10


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k81SFkhFG4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoEol-5Epfg


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGbgcmNxFh4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRcrlgN7Dk4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxqpTAVLADY
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I can't view most of them (at work and can't login to youtube for the age restricted videos), but yeah, the ones I could view were pretty cool. Not sure why they moved away from the original Dark Spawn design, they looked good back then.

I would argue the one showing clips from the sex scenes with Marilyn Manson playing in the background is bordering on cringe-y. :-p

The most cringe-y for me was that CG one, with Leilana somersaulting through the air shooting arrows. I think it had the party taking down a dragon or something too.
 
SeymourGore said:
I can't view most of them (at work and can't login to youtube for the age restricted videos), but yeah, the ones I could view were pretty cool. Not sure why they moved away from the original Dark Spawn design, they looked good back then.

I would argue the one showing clips from the sex scenes with Marilyn Manson playing in the background is bordering on cringe-y. :-p

The most cringe-y for me was that CG one, with Leilana somersaulting through the air shooting arrows. I think it had the party taking down a dragon or something too.
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Yeah, that one is a bit cringe, but not nearly as cringey as the one they showed for The Veilguard.

You can get around the age block by using a Piped or Invidious instance. Replace "www.youtube.com" with "piped.privacydev.net" or another instance. You may need to jump around to see which one is working at any given time.
 

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTNwHShylIg

Looks like they turned it into The Witcher...

Holy hell, the writing is bad. Sounds like it's right out of a scriptwriting 101 course. It also has one of the worst hallmarks of bad writing that really irks me: The characters constantly narrate what the game is showing you on screen. At one point in the video, three separate characters say "the tremors are getting worse" almost back-to-back, word-for-word.

Gameplay actually doesn't look bad, though, but it is constantly being interrupted by "cinematic" cutscenes with no dialog intervention by the player. I hope that is just editing for this video.
 
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Yeah I dunno button mashers some parts I like but looks like button masher. If this is the intro identical to Inquisition.
 
The series has to evolve… if it doesn’t then it will be doomed. What I’m seeing so far seems perfectly acceptable. In days of old, your character would get hit, and a dice roll would determine the outcome - a game that costs tens of millions to make can’t afford to be that ‘old-school’. Gamers, these days, want more control. I’m ready to give this a chance.

I actually really dig the tone of this game now that I’ve re-watched that reveal. Hope is more than alive?
 
Hershy said:
The series has to evolve… if it doesn’t then it will be doomed. What I’m seeing so far seems perfectly acceptable. In days of old, your character would get hit, and a dice roll would determine the outcome - a game that costs tens of millions to make can’t afford to be that ‘old-school’. Gamers, these days, want more control. I’m ready to give this a chance.

I actually really dig the tone of this game now that I’ve re-watched that reveal. Hope is more than alive?
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With all the praise Baldur's Gate 3 received, they can still make games like that. They dove in more than even the older games did. It made the entire world a series of dice rolls where you have 0 influence on 1/2 of what went on.
 
Domingo said:
With all the praise Baldur's Gate 3 received, they can still make games like that. They dove in more than even the older games did. It made the entire world a series of dice rolls where you have 0 influence on 1/2 of what went on.
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Yeah but we can't expect big studios to spend time on a game like BG3.

They told us themselves :D
 
Any lingering hope I had just went out the window. The Veilguard is a linear mission-based game instead of a traditional RPG. She describes it as similar to Mass Effect 2. But I wanted a Dragon Age game, not a Mass Effect game with the rotting skin of Dragon Age covering it.

https://www.ign.com/articles/dragon-age-the-veilguard-the-first-preview

What follows is basically one long action setpiece as the main characters sprint through Minrathous, a city under attack by demons (this is another big moment for fans, who have been waiting for ages to see the capital of the Tevinter Imperium). While it’s unwise to draw too many conclusions from such a brief section of the game, it’s easy to wonder just how linear The Veilguard will end up being.

“Yeah, so it is a mission-based game. Everything is hand-touched, hand-crafted, very highly curated,” Busche says, echoing a talking point that comes up repeatedly throughout the presentation. “We believe that's how we get the best narrative experience, the best moment-to-moment experience. However, along the way, these levels that we go to do open up, some of them have more exploration than others. Alternate branching paths, mysteries, secrets, optional content you're going to find and solve. So it does open up, but it is a mission-based, highly curated game.”
Shoganai said:
Apparently everyone in this game is going to be pansexual. Can this weird fad die now?
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Just like BG3. Why are these people so obsessed with sex?
 
Shoganai said:
Apparently everyone in this game is going to be pansexual. Can this weird fad die now?
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Playersexual is the term that tends to get thrown around when RPGs or other games have every romancable character be attracted to the player. I can understand why developers go that route, people have always gotten annoyed if their favorite character isn't a romance option for the gender of character they make, but it still leaves the characters feeling a bit less real. For as good as BG3's characters were written, it bugged me that they were all interested in banging the PC regardless of their gender.
 
Hershy said:
The series has to evolve… if it doesn’t then it will be doomed. What I’m seeing so far seems perfectly acceptable. In days of old, your character would get hit, and a dice roll would determine the outcome - a game that costs tens of millions to make can’t afford to be that ‘old-school’. Gamers, these days, want more control. I’m ready to give this a chance.

I actually really dig the tone of this game now that I’ve re-watched that reveal. Hope is more than alive?
Click to expand...

Umm Baluders Gate 3 would beg to differ with you. Lots of us like the dice rolls still.
 
Derangel said:
Playersexual is the term that tends to get thrown around when RPGs or other games have every romancable character be attracted to the player. I can understand why developers go that route, people have always gotten annoyed if their favorite character isn't a romance option for the gender of character they make, but it still leaves the characters feeling a bit less real. For as good as BG3's characters were written, it bugged me that they were all interested in banging the PC regardless of their gender.
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Yeah ...

vorzek-vorzneck.gif
 
Gideon said:
Umm Baluders Gate 3 would beg to differ with you. Lots of us like the dice rolls still.
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Dragon Age quite clearly hasn’t been going in the direction of Baldur’s Gate since its inception. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
 
Armenius said:
Any lingering hope I had just went out the window. The Veilguard is a linear mission-based game instead of a traditional RPG. She describes it as similar to Mass Effect 2. But I wanted a Dragon Age game, not a Mass Effect game with the rotting skin of Dragon Age covering it...
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With Veilguard, Dragon Age becomes what it was probably always destined to be: A Mass Effect game

Thedas is more beautiful than ever in the hour I spent with Veilguard, but I'm left wondering if Dragon Age has shed its RPG heritage...

https://www.pcgamer.com/games/drago...bly-always-destined-to-be-a-mass-effect-game/
 
Yar, feeling a lot better about it now after that gameplay trailer. I'd prefer Origins-style combat, but FF VII Remake has me enjoying this more quasi-real time combat.
 
Hershy said:
Dragon Age quite clearly hasn’t been going in the direction of Baldur’s Gate since its inception. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
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Nowhere in my comment did I say it was, merely disputing the whole dice rolls not being popular at all. Origins still remains my favorite of the series, but I also enjoyed mass effect combat as well. I hold out hope this game will hold on to some core of what Origins started with as I really have enjoyed the overall story arc.
 
Armenius said:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTNwHShylIg

Looks like they turned it into The Witcher...

Holy hell, the writing is bad. Sounds like it's right out of a scriptwriting 101 course. It also has one of the worst hallmarks of bad writing that really irks me: The characters constantly narrate what the game is showing you on screen. At one point in the video, three separate characters say "the tremors are getting worse" almost back-to-back, word-for-word.

Gameplay actually doesn't look bad, though, but it is constantly being interrupted by "cinematic" cutscenes with no dialog intervention by the player. I hope that is just editing for this video.
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thx i will buy this one. Nice trailer and graphics .
 
hu76 said:
thx i will buy this one. Nice trailer and graphics .
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Graphics are pretty good, but those facial animations are really bad for this day and age. It's probably jarring these days since they didn't use mocap.
 
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Armenius said:
Any lingering hope I had just went out the window. The Veilguard is a linear mission-based game instead of a traditional RPG. She describes it as similar to Mass Effect 2.
Click to expand...

I went from zero interest to having interest. I will be watching this one to see how it turns out.
 
PC Gamer is attempting to bury this game before release - this might be a sign that the game will actually be good. LOL.
 
Armenius said:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTNwHShylIg

Looks like they turned it into The Witcher...

Holy hell, the writing is bad. Sounds like it's right out of a scriptwriting 101 course. It also has one of the worst hallmarks of bad writing that really irks me: The characters constantly narrate what the game is showing you on screen. At one point in the video, three separate characters say "the tremors are getting worse" almost back-to-back, word-for-word.

Gameplay actually doesn't look bad, though, but it is constantly being interrupted by "cinematic" cutscenes with no dialog intervention by the player. I hope that is just editing for this video.
Click to expand...


It honestly looks like Mass Effect with swords and ugly chicks.
 
Armenius said:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTNwHShylIg

Looks like they turned it into The Witcher...

Holy hell, the writing is bad. Sounds like it's right out of a scriptwriting 101 course. It also has one of the worst hallmarks of bad writing that really irks me: The characters constantly narrate what the game is showing you on screen. At one point in the video, three separate characters say "the tremors are getting worse" almost back-to-back, word-for-word.

Gameplay actually doesn't look bad, though, but it is constantly being interrupted by "cinematic" cutscenes with no dialog intervention by the player. I hope that is just editing for this video.
Click to expand...

That random female NPC in the beginning who is killed off screen has a far better looking face model than any of the so far revealed companions. DEI squad must've missed that one.

Gameplay looks better than DA:I but I can't say I'm optimistic about the narrative. Prepare for cringe we must.
 
M76 said:
That random female NPC in the beginning who is killed off screen has a far better looking face model than any of the so far revealed companions. DEI squad must've missed that one.

Gameplay looks better than DA:I but I can't say I'm optimistic about the narrative. Prepare for cringe we must.
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I never played a DA game before. Seems like they want to focus more on story, so I hope the writing is at least decent.
 
Plot Spoiler, everyone:

Apparently, at the end of Act One, the player’s companions huddle up, and together chant : “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” - but, alas, within the Dragon Age universe, these three words, when spoken to a full moon on the first night of Autumn, summon a trio of Pride Demons, which emerge from the mist carrying pride flags and singing songs made popular by The Village People. The two opposing forces suddenly decide to link up and leave the game in order to join that black samurai dude in the Assassin’s Creed game. The chief antagonist then emerges from the mist, revealing himself to the player for the very first time. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Elon Musk. He promises to leap from game to game, scaring away any DEI characters that might emerge.

(This post was written by a bot.)
 
Hershy said:
Plot Spoiler, everyone:

Apparently, at the end of Act One, the player’s companions huddle up, and together chant : “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion” - but, alas, within the Dragon Age universe, these three words, when spoken to a full moon on the first night of Autumn, summon a trio of Pride Demons, which emerge from the mist carrying pride flags and singing songs made popular by The Village People. The two opposing forces suddenly decide to link up and leave the game in order to join that black samurai dude in the Assassin’s Creed game. The chief antagonist then emerges from the mist, revealing himself to the player for the very first time. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Elon Musk. He promises to leap from game to game, scaring away any DEI characters that might emerge.

(This post was written by a bot.)
Click to expand...
The companions, baffled by the strange turn of events, stare in bewilderment as the Pride Demons, now holding a rainbow-colored banner, parade off to the distance, harmonizing to "Y.M.C.A." and "Macho Man." The echoes of their joyous celebration fade as they disappear into the digital horizon. In their absence, the mist thickens, and a foreboding silence settles over the landscape. The chief antagonist, with his strikingly Musk-like visage, steps forward. He raises a sleek, futuristic device, scanning the companions with a look of bemusement.

"So," he intones, his voice a blend of charisma and menace, "you've managed to disrupt my plans. No matter. The multiverse is vast, and there are countless realms to conquer. But first, let me introduce myself. I am Elrond, the Game Jumper." The companions exchange uneasy glances. Elrond's gaze narrows, and with a flick of his wrist, the device projects a holographic map of interconnected game worlds. Each world pulsates with vibrant colors, linked by glowing pathways.

"Behold," Elrond continues, "the Nexus of Realms. From here, I can travel to any game, bend its code to my will, and eliminate any semblance of DEI. My mission is to restore the old order, where diversity is merely an option, not a mandate." Before the companions can react, Elrond presses a button, opening a swirling portal. "But enough talk. It's time for action." With that, he leaps into the portal, vanishing from sight.

The companions stand in stunned silence until one of them, a rogue named Kael, steps forward. "We can't let him get away with this. If he disrupts the balance in other realms, it could have catastrophic consequences for all of us." A mage, Elara, nods in agreement. "We must follow him."

As the companions stand in the swirling portal, they realize they have no choice but to follow Elrond and confront him in the Nexus of Realms. The portal leads them to a barren, desolate landscape, a stark contrast to the vibrant game worlds they've known. In the distance, they spot Elrond, who stands atop a metallic platform, a smug grin on his face.

"Welcome to the endgame," Elrond declares. "Here, in the heart of the Nexus, we shall decide the fate of DEI." The companions, weary but resolute, advance toward him. Elrond raises his device, summoning a legion of corrupted avatars from various games. They march forward, their eyes devoid of any emotion or will of their own.

"You see," Elrond sneers, "DEI has weakened the very fabric of these worlds. It creates division and chaos. Only by eradicating it can we restore true order and harmony." A fierce battle ensues. The companions fight valiantly, but Elrond's minions are relentless. Just when all seems lost, Kael, the rogue, has a realization. "We can't defeat him by fighting on his terms. We need to outsmart him."

Elara, the mage, nods. "We must find a way to disrupt his control over the Nexus." As the battle rages, Kael and Elara break away, sneaking behind enemy lines. They reach the platform and discover a hidden console controlling the Nexus. Elara quickly deciphers its code, and Kael disables the security measures.

With a final, desperate push, they manage to override the system. The platform shakes violently as the Nexus begins to collapse in on itself. Elrond, realizing his control is slipping, turns to face them, fury etched on his face. "No!" he roars. "You cannot undo what I've built!"

Kael smirks. "Watch us." With a surge of energy, the Nexus implodes, sucking Elrond and his corrupted avatars into a vortex. The companions barely escape, tumbling back into their respective game worlds as the portal seals shut behind them.

In the aftermath, the game worlds begin to stabilize. The companions return home, but they find that the influence of DEI has vanished. Instead, a new era of meritocracy and individual achievement emerges. Characters are judged not by arbitrary quotas but by their skills and actions. As they reflect on their journey, the companions realize that, in defeating Elrond, they have restored a balance. They understand that while diversity, equity, and inclusion had noble intentions, they were being manipulated and enforced in ways that disrupted the natural order of their worlds.

United by their shared experiences, the companions vow to protect their realms from any future threats, knowing that true strength lies in the harmony of diverse individuals working together by choice, not compulsion. And thus, they forge ahead, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead, free from the constraints of imposed ideologies.

- ChatGPT 4o (I'm honestly impressed with this bot's storytelling capabilities)
 
Flogger23m said:
I never played a DA game before. Seems like they want to focus more on story, so I hope the writing is at least decent.
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DA was always very story oriented. I mean the first game automatically took screenshots of your character at key story moments during cutscenes. It doesn't get more story heavy than that.

I'm one of the very few people who liked both the first and second games. In spite of how different they were. Origins was an RPG / strategy game, where the most important thing was the build and squad composition, not to mention the squad command system through which you could even design basic behavior scripts for your squad members. For example attack enemy with the highest health, or automatically take health potion if health falls bellow a certain threshold. It was a really neat game, that I felt was dragged down by the unnecessarily boring and meandering storyline. It's expansion Awakening was where that formula really shined with better companions and a more tightly written and interesting story.

DA2 turned this all on its head and went for the A-RPG route, the squad management is still there, but is almost irrelevant. However the story IMO is far superior to Origins, this time compensating for what was lost on the RPG / strategy side.

DA:I while my initial impression of it were positive, in hindsight it is the worst of the bunch by a wide margin. And I'm pretty sure it is the first DEI influenced AAA game, we just didn't know what DEI was at the time therefore it did not even occur to us that characters were made ugly deliberately. Or why there were so many unnatural cringe moments. But DEI aside it is the worst on the gameplay side as well, playing as an MMO despite being a single player RPG, with tons of grind and fetchquests, and repeating whack a mole minigames across multiple areas. And the most awful combat system, that is bad even as an A-RPG. I was bamboozled by the environment graphics and the size of the maps, that's why I didn't realize sooner that DA:I is not a good game.

This post was NOT written by an AI.
 
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