EA Staff (Retired)Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Developer Q&A
Hey Dragon Age Community,
Our team at Bioware recently held a live Q&A over on the Bioware Discord.
I wanted to share a sneak peek of some of the questions asked during the live event. To read the full transcript head over here.
Q: CAN WE KISS OR ROMANCE MANFRED THE SKELETON?
A: I WOULD SAY, 'NOT THAT SKELETON,' BUT WE'RE NOT SAYING 'NO SKELETONS'. - MATT RHODES
Q: ARE WE GOING TO BE LIMITED IN HOW MANY ABILITIES WE CAN PICK FROM THE WHEEL?
A: YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH 3 ABILITIES YOU WANNA BRING FOR ROOK, WHICH 3 FOR A COMPANION, AND WHICH 3 FOR ANOTHER COMPANION.
IT ACTUALLY CREATE A REALLY INTERESTING BALANCE BETWEEN STRATEGIZING, HAVING TO DO THAT STRATEGY ABOUT YOUR COMBAT KIT BEFORE THE MISSION, AND THEN THE TACTICAL DECISIONS ONCE YOU'RE IN THE FIELD.
wHILE THERE ARE 3 ABILITY SLOTS FOR ROOK, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THEN THAT... YOU'LL HAVE AN ULTIMATE ABILITY ASSOCIATE WITH YOUR CLASS... THERE'S A TYPE OF ITEM YOU CAN GET THAT FUNCTIONS LIKE ABILITIES. YOUR CAN DIRECT WHICH TARGET YOUR COMPANIONS CAN FOCUS ON... THERE'S JUST SO MUCH FROM THE WHEEL ONCE YOU GET IN AND SEE EVERYTHING WORKING TOGETHER. - CORINNA BUSCHE
Q: WILL WE GET THE SAME COMPANION CONVERSATIONS AND BANTER AS WEEN IN THE PREVIOUS DRAGON AGE GAMES [WITH ONLY 2 PARTY MEMBERS]?
A: HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK YOU COULD ACTUALLY STOP THE WRITERS FROM WRITING BANTER. I WILL SAY FOR MYSELF IT'S ONE OF THE MORE FUN THINGS TO DO.
BANTER IS ABSOLUTELY A CORE PART OF [DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD]... IF ANYTHING IT'S THE MOST WE'VE EVER DONE FOR PAIRINGS AND COMPANIONS... EVERYONE LOVES HEARING THE COMPANIONS TALK TO EACH OTHER. EVERYONE LOVES HEARING THESE STORIES AND RELATIONSHIPS DEVELOP OVER THE COURSE OF THE GAME. - JOHN EPLER
Q: IF YOU COULD BELONG TO ANY OF THE MAIN FACTIONS, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
A: CORINNE: I'M GONNA CHEAT AND I’M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO. SO FOR FASHION, THE ANTIVAN CROWS ALL DAY LONG. THEIR THREADS, YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT. FOR VIBES THOUGH, THE ONES THAT CAPTURE MY VIBE, MOURNWATCH. GIMME THOSE NECROMANCERS.
JOHN: THOSE ARE GOOD ANSWERS. I HAVE ONE FOR FASHION AND FOR JUST THE GENERAL FACTION THAT I’D LIKE TO BE A PART OF. VEIL JUMPERS - WHO DOESN'T LIKE A NICE WALK IN THE FOREST, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THAT FOREST IS FILLED WITH HORRIFYING MONSTERS AND TERRIFYING ANOMALIES.
MATT: FOR ME IT’S DEFINITELY THE LORDS OF FORTUNE. I’VE HAD A CHANCE TO TRY OUT A BUNCH OF THEM, AND I THINK I’VE FINALLY SETTLED ON THEM. I THINK IT’S JUST BECAUSE PIRATE BARBARIAN IS JUST SUCH A GREAT COMBINATION OF ELEMENTS. TREASURE HUNTING, PLUS BEACHES AND PALM TREES AND ALL THAT STUFF, IT’S A REALLY GOOD MIX, SO THAT’S KIND OF MY DEFAULT.
Q: I’VE SEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT ONLY HAVING TWO COMPANIONS IN YOUR PARTY INSTEAD OF THREE FOR THIS GAME. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS AND WILL WE GET THE SAME COMPANION CONVERSATIONS AND BANTER AS SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS DRAGON AGE GAMES?
A: CORINNE: SUCH A GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU TO WHOEVER SUBMITTED THIS ONE. I'LL START AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO JOHN EPLER. AS YOU SAW IN THE GAMEPLAY REVEAL, THIS IS A MUCH MORE INTIMATE EXPERIENCE. FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AWARE, THE REASON WHY IS THAT WE WANT YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU ACTUALLY ARE IN THIS WORLD, LIKE YOU’RE WALKING THESE THE CITY STREETS OF MINRATHOUS, YOU’RE LOOKING UP AT THE BUILDINGS ALL AROUND YOU. YOU'RE A PART OF THIS PLACE. IT'S MUCH MORE INTIMATE, AND WE BELIEVE AS THE NARRATIVE UNFOLDS THAT THIS CREATES A LOT MORE IMMERSION. NOW, HOW THIS RELATES TO THE COMPANIONS, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON IT A LOT, BUT WE ACTUALLY FOUND THAT HAVING TWO COMPANIONS ALLOWS THEM MORE VISIBILITY AND PRESENCE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE DEPTH AND FOCUS WE’VE PUT ON FLESHING OUT THESE COMPANIONS, THEY'RE VERY FULLY REALIZED. HERE YOU REALLY GET TO SEE THEM MORE CLEARLY, YOU GET TO SEE THEM SHINE. WHEN YOU SEE LACE HARDING JUMP INTO THE AIR AND RELEASE A VOLLEY OF ARROWS, YOU CAN ONLY GET THAT BECAUSE OF THIS MORE INTIMATE VIEW. SO I LOVE THE SPOTLIGHT THAT’S BEEN PUT ON THEM. I THINK IN ADDITION TO THE BANTER, ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE WONDERING ABOUT IS, “OK - BUT WHAT ABOUT GAMEPLAY”. AGAIN, THIS HAS COME ABOUT FROM OUR TESTING, WORKING WITH THE INTERNAL TEAM AND ALSO OUR LOVELY COUNCIL OF PLAYERS. WE FOUND THAT IN THE COMBAT SYSTEM, WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING YOUR STRATEGIES, TWO FELT LIKE THE RIGHT NUMBER TO MANAGE. KEEP IN MIND, ROOK HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIONS: ABILITIES, INDIVIDUAL ATTACKS THAT ARE MORE FLESHED OUT THAN EVER BEFORE. TIMING AND POSITIONING MATTER A LOT, SO THIS REALLY FELT LIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE. THE NUMBER OF INPUTS AND ACTIONS WE’RE ASKING YOU AS A PLAYER TO TAKE, INCLUDING DIRECTING YOUR COMPANIONS, IS HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WHEN I ENGAGE WITH THE COMPANIONS, I ACTIVELY CONTROL WHAT THEY'RE DOING MORE THAN I EVER HAVE BEFORE IN ANY OF THE OTHER THREE GAMES. BUT JOHN, I’LL TOSS IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE BANTER.
JOHN: SO, BANTER, HONESTLY I DON'T THINK YOU COULD STOP THE WRITERS FROM WRITING BANTERS. I WILL SAY FOR MYSELF, IT'S ONE OF THE MORE LIGHT AND FUN THINGS TO DO. YOU GET TO WRITE LITTLE STORIES, LITTLE ARCS BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS, AND THE VEILGUARD IS NO DIFFERENT. BANTER IS STILL ABSOLUTELY A CORE PART OF IT. WE'VE GOT GLOBAL BANTER, YOU KNOW THE GENERAL STUFF THAT YOU GET IN ALL SPACES, AS WELL AS MISSION SPECIFIC STUFF. IT'S DEFINITELY STILL A BIG THING, IF ANYTHING IT'S THE MOST WE'VE EVER DONE FOR PAIRINGS OF COMPANIONS. BEYOND THAT, WE’VE ALSO MADE SURE—AND I MEAN, I’VE BEEN ON DRAGON AGE FOR A WHILE, AND I KNOW THERE’S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH, “WELL, I DON’T WANNA MISS THIS BANTER.” SO, WE'VE EVEN ADDED STUFF LIKE INTERRUPTIBLE AND RESUMABLE BANTER AS WELL. IT'S A CORE PART OF THE EXPERIENCE. EVERYONE LOVES HEARING THESE COMPANIONS TALK TO EACH OTHER. EVERYONE LOVES HEARING THESE LITTLE STORIES AND RELATIONSHIPS DEVELOP OVER THE COURSE OF THE GAME, AND AS MENTIONED BEFORE, COMPANIONS ARE THE HEART OF THIS EXPERIENCE. SO WE STILL HAVE IT, IF ANYTHING LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD NOT STOP THE WRITERS FROM DOING IT, EVEN IF YOU TRIED.
Q: WILL CRAFTING RETURN AND HAS IT BEEN IMPROVED SINCE INQUISITION?
A: CORINNE: WILL CRAFTING RETURN? YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY IMPROVE AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR GEAR, YES. THAT IS A BIG PART OF RPG PROGRESSION, SO YES YOU CAN IMPROVE AND CUSTOMIZE IT. I WILL SAY THOUGH, IT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME AROUND, AND IT DOES GET INTO SPOILER TERRITORY SO I'M GONNA BE A LITTLE CAGEY ABOUT IT. BUT, THERE MIGHT BE A MYSTERIOUS ENTITY THAT ASSISTS YOU WITH THAT THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE NARRATIVE.
Q: WHAT WERE SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS THAT YOU HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TO ENSURE THIS GAME FLOWS & FUNCTIONS WITH PRIOR GAMES & DRAGON AGE KEEP, IF KEEP IS BEING UTILIZED?
A: CORINNE: WE DID AN INTERVIEW WITH IGN THAT GOES INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS THERE. TO SUMMARIZE, WE HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HOW YOU IMPORT YOUR DECISIONS THIS TIME AROUND. IT'S NOW FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE CHARACTER CREATOR AND SERVES A DUAL PURPOSE. IT’S NOT CALLED THIS IN-GAME, BUT I PLAYFULLY THINK OF IT AS "LAST TIME ON DRAGON AGE". WHEN I TALK ABOUT ITS DUAL PURPOSE, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE THE LAST DRAGON AGE GAME RELEASE, SO IT SERVES AS A REFRESHER ON CRITICAL EVENTS AS WELL AS ALLOWING YOU TO REMAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO YOU. THE THING I LOVE ABOUT IT IS IT'S VERY HIGHLY VISUAL, IT USES THE FAMILIAR TAROT CARD AESTHETIC, SO IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY VISUAL AND PLAYFUL EXPERIENCE AS YOU GO THROUGH IT. IT IS VERY MUCH IMPORTANT TO US THAT IT'S BUILT INTO THE CLIENT, THOUGH. YOU CAN PLAY THIS GAME ENTIRELY OFFLINE, NO CONNECTION, YOU DON’T HAVE TO LINK TO YOUR EA ACCOUNTS. THAT'S BEEN A REALLY BIG REQUEST, SO THE REFRESHER PLUS MAKING THOSE DECISIONS IN-GAME, I THINK WE'RE ALL PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I DON'T WANNA SPOIL ANYTHING BY REVEALING WHICH DECISIONS YOU CAN IMPORT. Y'ALL DON'T WANT THE SPOILERS. BUT, IT'S BEEN A REALLY INTERESTING CREATIVE INTERSECTION FOR US. BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, THIS IS A WHOLE NEW ADVENTURE. YOU'RE IN NORTHERN THEDAS - THESE LOCATIONS YOU'VE LITERALLY NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE, SO THAT AFFECTS WHAT WILL MATTER AND WHAT WE’RE NOT USING THIS TIME AROUND AS FAR AS DECISIONS. OBVIOUSLY THERE’S SOME VERY VERY CLEAR CONNECTIONS TO EXISTING CHARACTERS. IT’S NO SECRET THAT THE INQUISITOR, OUR DEAR INKY, IS GONNA SHOW UP, SO THAT'S A FACTOR.
Q: WILL THIS NEXT GAME BE AN OPEN WORLD GAME OR IS IT JUST CONFINED TO TEVINTER?
A: JOHN: YEAH, SO YOU ARE IN NORTHERN THEDAS, BUT THE GAME ONLY BEGINS IN MINRATHOUS. IT DOESN'T STAY THERE. I THINK ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS FOR ME, AND AGAIN, I DON’T WANNA GET INTO TOO MUCH SPOILER DETAIL, BUT GETTING TO GO TO AND WORK WITH THE ART TEAM, THE NARRATIVE TEAM, THE DESIGN TEAM TO BUILD OUT THESE LOCATIONS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, PLACES THAT CHARACTER HAVE REFERRED TO AS WHERE THEY’VE COME FROM, PLACES THAT CHARACTERS OBVIOUSLY IN PREVIOUS GAMES HAVE HAILED FROM, HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY EXCITING. SO YOU DO START IN TEVINTER, YOU DO START IN MINRATHOUS, BUT AGAIN THAT’S NOT THE ENTIRE GAME BY ANY STRETCH.
CORINNE: AND THE FIRST HALF OF THE QUESTION IS, IS IT AN OPEN WORLD GAME? WE'VE GONE BACK TO WHAT WE BELIEVE DELIVERS THE BEST, MOST CURATED, INTENSE NARRATIVES. SO THIS IS A HAND CRAFTED EXPERIENCE, IT'S MISSION BASED. NOW THESE LOCATIONS CAN OPEN UP, YOU CAN GO BACK, SOLVE MYSTERIES, DO SOME REALLY GREAT SIDE CONTENT - NOT FETCH QUESTS, NOT GRIND QUESTS, SOME REALLY GREAT SIDE CONTENT. BUT I WANT TO BE CLEAR, IT'S A REALLY CURATED, HAND CRAFTED EXPERIENCE.
JOHN: JUST TO BOUNCE OFF OF THAT VERY QUICKLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US AND WHAT CORINNE WAS SAYING ABOUT HAND CRAFTED, OBVIOUSLY WE’VE TALKED ABOUT HOW CHARACTERS, STORY, NARRATIVE ARE CRITICAL TO US, AND THIS HAS ALLOWED US TO BUILD THOSE EXPERIENCES IN A WAY THAT EMPHASIZED THAT REALLY WELL WHILE STILL TYING IT INTO THE STORY THREADS AND STORY BEATS.
