Guys, I am bummed out.
Sooooo I decided to pause DAV and go back and play through at least DA2 and DAI to refresh things in my mind (and also actually play through DA2 DLC), but when I went to boot up DA2 it couldn't find my DAO save so now I've gone all the way back!
I guess it's been a long time since I played Origins, and longer still since I played it on the 360. It's rougher than I remember! (Though I'm sure some of that is the 360 and controller stick drift...) I set combat to easy and I'm trying to hurry through it but also trying to take note of dialogue and maybe attempting some comics about Isadaia Tabris?
Anyway prompted to actually post about it because I was wondering about the choices for Manfred's vocalizations when I played DAV, but I just fought skeletons at Soldier's Peak in DAO and... yup. That is how Thedas skellies sound!
It's been over 20 years since the Fifth Blight, and much has happened in that time.
How has your Warden fared through all these years? Have they gone to their calling, or do you think they found a cure in the end? Are they living their happily ever after somewhere, whatever that entails?
Oh, my Schrodinger's Warden, kept in a semi quantum state of existence while I hold on to the ever fading hope that Bioware will throw us another (meatier) bone in a future DA installment...
I don't feel like she's reached her ending yet, happy or not. Right now, I'm imagining that while a cure eluded her, she did find means of postponing the Calling. Ever the reluctant warden, I think she and Alistair go off the radar after Inquisition and settle down quietly in the Free Marches somewhere. It's a small, bittersweet life, but they make what they can of it.
It's been a long day, and it's time for Rook to get some well earned rest. But what does that look like exactly?
Does she have a special outfit she sleeps in? What does her sleeping space look like? Is it full of pillows and blankets, or are things more sparse? Does she have any sleep "quirks", like hogging the blanket or talking in her sleep?
Bonus question: Big spoon or little spoon?
Rook is one of those people who can literally sleep anywhere, and often winds up doing so. Though "anywhere" is always some out of the way nook or cranny that would be impossible to find if you weren't looking. (Crow habits.)
Bonus Answer: Backpack.
Dinner time! And it's Rook's turn to cook. What does she make? Is she a good cook? Do you think the other companions look forward to her meals, or do they make themselves scarce when dinner time comes around?
Bonus question: Everyone else seems to have brought some groceries with them to the Lighthouse. What did Rook bring, if anything at all?
Rook did not do much more than simple cooking before forming the Veilguard. Inspired and obligated by her colleagues at the Lighthouse, she gets improvisational with her turns and has maybe one surprise success. After a streak of fairly inedible failures, the team makes an unofficial rule that Chef Rook requires a chaperone in the kitchen. Taash is exempt from this duty as they end up taking over in best case scenario, which even then is only after lots of yelling and drama.
I finished Veilguard around midnight last night and, honestly, I liked the game a lot! When the trailer came out I mentioned the sort of accidental rhythm the series has had-- I was talking about the art style then, but coming back to it I think the second and fourth installments are both really solid games that can't hide the time and budget constraints of their (very different) production cycles.
In DA2, it was a smaller scope of story and reused assets. Veilguard isn't quite as straight forward: it's visually stunning and ambitious, but everywhere I look I see writing and gameplay features that must have been cut, pared down, or underdeveloped at some part of the process. Branching choices are expensive, and Veilguard had exponentially more of them to contend with going in. I'm sad that they weren't able to accommodate more of them, but I understand why. A lot of us played BG3 which gave a buffet of rpg choices we haven't seen from Bioware since Origins, and I do think a lot of us coming from that with ten years of expectations built up around Veilguard gave it a high bar to clear.
I know EA is a trend chaser, so I'm VERY interested to see what influence BG3 might have on the next mass effect game.
More (rambling)thoughts with (front-loaded)spoilers below the cut.
Hey! Long time follower here 👋
I'm doing a thing where I go around and ask people about their Rooks every Friday, usually regarding little details about their character like sense of style, hobbies, food preferences etc. I was wondering if it would be okay if I sent you some? There's no pressure to answer literally any of them, but I don't want to spam you with ask you don't want 😅
Hope you're having fun with the game!
Absolutely! I know I've been less present around here lately, but you know I'm always up for questions I'm under no obligation to answer! Ask and ye shall maybe receive! 😆
THIS is my Rook, and I am enjoying her quite a bit, even when I'm finding other areas of the game lacking. She's a cheeky lil' shit of a crow who's trying her best.
I hope none of you disappear in the coming days. Seriously don't do anything that can't be undone.
I know i'm just a random person you follow online but I mean it. People (all kinds of marginalised people too!) Have survived all types of horrible times and managed to find happiness eventually. If for no one else, survive for them. And also, try to survive because the people making you despair don't want you to live. Don't give this to them. Don't give your life. The best thing you can do is cling to it with everything you've got. Lay in bed for a day if you have to. but please promise you won't hurt yourself.