DragonAge Veilguard Trailers Reaction ✨Potential New Player? ✨

OH BOY! am i about to be sucked into an entirely new fantasy world?
#dragonage #reaction #gaming
0:00 Intro
0:30 Announcement Trailer First Watch
2:35 Announcement Trailer Second Watch
4:45 Initial Thoughts
6:10 Gameplay Trailer
18:00 Second Portion of Trailer (timeskip)
29:10 Conclusive Thoughts
---------Links---------
I stream on Twitch
🎮 / lydlbutton
🎥 / @lydlbutton
🐣 / @lydlbutton
🎵 / lydlbutton
✉ [e-mail]
I am a fantasy author! I've successfully launched my first novel w/ a Kickstarter!
Updates here:
🐣 / @lydiarowewrites
🎵 / lydiarowewrites

[@tyler8714]

Sorry in advance for the wall of text. Solas is a companion in Dragon Age Inquisition as was Varric, hence why they know each other very well. In fact, they are your 2nd and 3rd companions you get, at the same time. Varric is also a companion in Dragon Age II as well as the narrator (he's a famous author in game). Varric and Scout Harding are both dwarves, hence their stout build. Harding was your lead scout in Inquisition, so she always greeted you in new areas. The skeleton in the final shot next to Emmrich is his assistant Manfred. Rook is your title, you'll get to customize your first name and your surname is dependent on your origin. There's a TON of Dragon Age media, from novels, to comics, to the games, to a short series on Netflix, and a movie no one ever talks about. The game order is Dragon Age: Origins --> Dragon Age II --> Dragon Age Inquisition --> Dragon Age: The Veilguard. You don't NEED to play all the games, tbh if you just play Inquisition you'll know enough for Veilguard. You may be a bit confused on some events that happen in the previous games when referenced, but nothing you can't just pick up as you play. If you want a more in-depth list, I found a blog post that has all of the media for the story with the recommended read/plays bolded. These are in chronological order and not release order. (www.ladyinsanity.com/blog/2014/5/8/complete-dragon-age-readable-list) I will say all the Dragon Age games are like 90% off for the Steam Summer sale but as I'm writing this I think the sale is ending in like, 12 hours. If you wind up playing Origins I HIGHLY recommend getting Large Address Aware as Origins is very well known for crashing due to issues with RAM that never got optimized for the PC release (assuming you get it for PC, idk how you would get it for other consoles). Even with this I recommend quick saving often as the game is still prone to crashes.

[@tyler8714]

Oh one thing i forgot to mention! It's interesting you mentioned how the tone of the companion trailer was different from the gameplay, that was actually a HUGE complaint from several people. But, Dragon Age has a history as a franchise of having trailers that don't match the tone of the game very well, so I didn't honestly care. I took it as it was, a fun way to introduce your companions.

[@chocopuddingcup83]

"Rook" is simply the title of the character. Characters refer to you in a neutral title so that you can have any name you wish. DA:Origins had "Warden" because you were part of the Gray Wardens, DA2 had "Hawke" which was your last name, and DA:Inquisition had "Inquisitor" because you were the chosen leader of the Inquisition.

[@lydlbutton]

oh this is neat! thanks!

[@LCOmusic]

Several of the Dragon Age games are on sale for super cheap on Steam right now! I think there are three priced at like $3 or $4 each

[@lydlbutton]

dw i splurged on 'em!

[@tanna_k]

Solas was a companion and the focus of a dlc in the previous game

[@lydlbutton]

as someone who was familiar with Solas, were you expecting this turn for his character? i understood that Dragon Age is very choice driven... but I would hate to feel that all my "good" choices still managed to result in Solas perhaps turning out like this?

[@yannym4605]

@@lydlbuttonSolas’ story was his own in Inquisition and mostly independent of the Inquisitor’s own story. He was one of the more enigmatic and aloof, but very courteous members of your crew. Sadly, Solas turning out to be ancient Elven God was a major twist spoiled by this trailer and a huge betrayal at the end especially if you were also romancing him. Which I think it’s only possible if you play a female elf.

[@lydlbutton]

@@yannym4605 are you familiar with the Raistlin chronicles from Dragonlance? it's giving those vibes where Raistlin was kind of... there... but his story was something aside from the group's

[@foxfire9320]

@@lydlbutton Solas is definitely closely involved with the Inquisitor's story, it's just that he has a whole other story going on at the same time that you aren't aware of. That story can't be changed no matter what, but you can certainly be in a very different place with him by the end as far as your relationship with him, as well as significantly affect his outlook on things.

[@yannym4605]

@@lydlbutton sorry, no. I don't know of it. So I can't compare for similarities. While Solas is mostly just kinda there, he is still vital to the Inquisitor's story, and the Inquisitor's story is vital to his, but there is really only one thing tying both your stories together, and that thing can't be changed by either of you. He has a lot of interesting thoughts and opinions especially in regards to spirits, and the Fade. I don't want to say more to avoid spoilers. I also haven't played the DLC yet to see if there is more to it than that. I've actually never played any of the DLCs of any of the games, so I'm currently going through the whole series, DLCs included, in preparation for Veilguard. Just finished Origins, and starting DA2 today.

[@elissahe2377]

I highly recommend the dragon age series. Solas isn't a bad guy. He's a good guy made to look bad because of history being remembered wrong. Hes one of my favorite characters besides Varric

[@MarieS610]

I think it’s a matter of opinion on whether Solas is a good guy or not.

[@elissahe2377]

@@MarieS610 It's not an opinion on what people think he is. It's a matter of people who hate him just because they just don't like him or if they love him. He is the rebel god that broke the chains of those who were enslaved by the evanuris and locked the 7 evanuris away when they killed Mythal. There's no doubt that he's not a good guy. He is a good guy with a bad reputation because of what the elves think they know. You could paint the same picture for all the heroes throughout the series because they bought the world some time but made some enemies along the way just as Solas did

[@JohnZaun]

I have been having a lot of fun watching new fans react to this over the last few weeks but my ears perked up with you mentioning you are a writer. I am trying to be to, an aspiring writer, written a few things but haven't really had the courage to get anything published or tried to. But this is the series that got me into wanting to write fantasy fiction so I highly recommend it.

[@lydlbutton]

you should absolutely try to publish something! wishing you best of luck. right now is the era of indie authors w/ how trad publishers are neglecting marketing for their mid tier & low tier pickups. tiktok, with all its flaws, truly is a fantastic marketing tool

[@PersephoneAscending]

Yaay Omg I'm so excited u liked it!! Dragon Age is my favorite series, they put so much work and thought into the world building, and Varric is a fan favorite character so that trailer has me 😰 The games can build on each other and u can import ur savegame choices from previous games into the next ones, but I think you can just start with the newest one and they will probably give you context clues. They have very descriptive codices full of ✨️lore✨️ Unsurprising this is my most hyped game for this year 🎉

[@lydlbutton]

oh wow!!! varric being a fan favorite is so wild as a first time watcher, must be ✨stressful✨

[@tanna_k]

I would definitely suggest starting the series from the beginning. You don't play the same character in all of them, but they all draw heavily on each other's plot threads. Inquisition deals with and resolves a lot of things set up in the ending of DA2. Dragon Age 2 is a bit more standalone, but the events of the first game kick off is plot. Origins is a great game and good introduction to the setting.

[@lydlbutton]

oooo knowing they follow & tug each other's plot threads is very important! thank you!

[@geoffreycannon2197]

@@lydlbutton agreed 100% with this. The First game suffers from being close to 15 years old-and it looks that way. Da2 is awful for gameplay, but the story and character building is AMAZING, even though people say to skip it. It sets up everything in several of the books, comics, Inquisition, and veilguard. Dragon age and Mass Effect are my favorite games. The only thing I’ve played that had world-building and characters I enjoyed as much is the old, old game Planescape: Torment.

[@MangaManiac1994]

It seems like Dragon Age: The Veilguard is bringing back the "chose your character background" from Dragon Age: Origin and DA: The veilguard also seem to have kept all the races we could pick from, from Dragon Age: Inquisition. Which mean we can choose to be either a Human, a Dwarf, an Elf or a Qunari (Characters with dragon horns on their head).

[@GKViddingHD]

Yepp, and it's good if you actually play DA inquisition beforehand to understand the character dynamics. It is not too old yet for you to enjoy the gameplay and graphics either. DA Inquisition was regarding the great characters and wonderful landscapes always my favorite.

[@lydlbutton]

i'm a sucker for dragon horns so i miiiiiiiight know precisely what sort of character i would choose!

[@beetaylor3529]

​@lydlbutton qunari aren't available for the player character in the first two games, unfortunately, but there is a qunari companion in the first game (no horns yet but they come in da2)

[@whskyflvrdinslt]

Dropping a line to boost your stuff, welcome to the family! I hope you love Dragon Age as much as I do. It's truly my deepest love in the realm of fantasy. I will pick Thedas every time.

[@lydlbutton]

thanks for the well wishes!!!

[@patrykkatulski9238]

It’s really nice to see point of view someone who didn’t play the previous 3 games💜 I mean you don’t really have to play them, as we start as someone new, but it would help you understand the world better😉 I would suggest also read the Tevinter Nights😉

[@lydlbutton]

if i were to play all the games, where in my playthrough should i read Tevinter Nights? 📝

[@patrykkatulski9238]

@@lydlbutton after games😉

[@lydlbutton]

@@patrykkatulski9238 thanks!

[@patrykkatulski9238]

@@lydlbutton my pleasure 😉

[@Fnuggi16]

just to add on to what everyone else has been saying already, I can definitely recommend the youtube channel Ghil Dirthalen. She's my personal go-to for DA lore stuff and she's currently doing a lore 101 series that might be helpful if you aren't planning a full playthrough :)

[@lydlbutton]

thanks so much for the rec!

[@jenniferatterton1587]

Hi, Lydia, it is lovely to meet you. It is such a breath of fresh air to get a perspective from someone who has never played the Dragon Age games. Being a fantasy author will make a big difference because the story is amazing. I am a fantasy writer and have completed a couple of novels but unfortunately have not been published as yet. If you want to find out more information on the Lore, several KZbinrs have a good grasp on the story. This is a really good one kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKayqZ19prlqf6M and gives a comprehensive history of Thedas and covers the other games, but not all characters. It gives a good understanding of what the story is all about. You could play all the games but they involve many hours of play, starting with Dragon Age Origins. The story does follow all of the trilogy and there are several DLC's but you can also grasp the story through books. The Shadow Dragons are 1 of 6 different factions and backstories of the different companions, and your Rook character can choose. The short characters are dwarves. It depends on the class you choose and you can highly customise all of them. The fighting style we see in the gameplay video is only one class, which is rogue, a stealthy and dexterous character with a high level of agility. There are several other classes and they all have different types of fighting and skills. The storyline is the centre of this whole series, and it is the very best. Varric is the one character that has been there throughout all Dragon Age games.

[@lydlbutton]

OOOOOOOOOO! Thank you so much for the summary video! If i find i don't have time to play all the games before release, this might be a good alternative

[@jenniferatterton1587]

@@lydlbutton You are most welcome, Lydia.

[@proteuswest1084]

I was sold on this game and any future Dragon Age game back in 2009 when Dragon Age: Origins released. :) It's a really great series with amazing companions and characters, deep worldbuilding and lore, and a lot of choices that feel impactful. You can jump in to the series at any point since they are somewhat loosely connected, but you will definitely miss out on the callbacks and some of the continuing plot threads. Dragon Age: Inquisition is going to be especially relevant to this game. That being said, as a fan of the series, I'd absolutely encourage you to play them all!

[@beccangavin]

I was sold after the game play reveal. That trailer was bewildering. I like all three of the games but the only one that would probably help you with this game is Inquisition.

[@lydlbutton]

this seems to be a popular take! if i play inquisition before origin & 2, will i ruin the story "reveals" in the first two for myself?

[@beccangavin]

@@lydlbutton That’s a yes and a no. Inquisition tries to pay off a bunch of the major decisions you made in both of the previous games. So you can see the person you picked to be king or queen of Fereldon or you can meet Connor if you’d saved him in Origins. There is a quest where you get to bring your Hawke from DAII with you and as a second, you can bring Alistair from Origins or the fellow with the impressive mustache from a DLC depending on which choices you made in the previous games. You won’t get those payoffs if you didn’t play the games. They do,however, load in a default world state so you won’t experience anything that feels like missing story in the game. If you didn’t play the previous games, you probably wouldn’t even notice that anything was missing. There is one emotional choice that will have very little weight if you didn’t develop a relationship with some of the recurring characters from the previous games but that’s it. If you have the time, playing the whole series would be fun. Origins is a bit dated now and DAII had a bit of a rushed development cycle so while the story is fantastic and the characters are exceptional, you’ll notice things like reused assets. Despite their flaws, though, I think all the games in the series have had their charm.

[@briancatoni7000]

Some fun structural things about dragon age is that the setting is considered the main character, each game has a different protagonist and your choices in previous games have effects across the series, thus far choices as far back as the first game have had potentially devastating consequences as recently as the third game 20ish years has passed in universe between the first game and fourth, sometimes you get reintroduced to old characters through new protagonists and get to see how the years have been to them Origins was notably viewed as the spiritual successor to Baldur's gate back in the day and bg3 is sometimes thought of as the spiritual successor to dragon age origins if that gives you any idea about how it is. In origins you can be an elf/human/dwarf and depending on your race/class choice you get one of six playable prologues(human noble/dwarf noble/dwarf commoner/city elf/dalish elf/mage) that effect your character through the game. Dragon age 2 is much smaller in scale, its framed as a retelling over a series of years with a three act structure and while you can only be human for plot reasons, your class still effects your character, DA2 sets the stage for inquisition, covering the decade between the first and third game and the state of the world between games, dragon age inquisition has four playable races with the addition of qunari(what that lady with the horns is), I'll not spoil but the upcoming game is very related to inquisition's events, especially in relation to stolas's introduction(also fun fact, dragon age is big on romance and solas was actually a romace option in DA:I and it's not even the first time a DA protagonist's partner/friend can pull some bs, so beware to be nice to your character's friends... Just in case) Being ten runs deep into each of the previous games it brings me joy to see people diving in now that things are heating up again, it's been a long ass wait and I'm happy for anyone who didn't have to sit through it 😁

[@lydlbutton]

what a fun storytelling mechanic! i'm a very character-driven storyteller & consumer, so i wonder if i will personally enjoy inquisition & veilguard as a duo more than the entire series. i find myself very attached to characters & their stories and am often disappointed when media moves on from my favorite protagonists

[@MarieS610]

This was so pleasant to see someone watch this who’s never played any of the prior games. 🙌🏼 I’d say, playing all of them always deepens the appreciation for each of the games. The references, callbacks and cameos are great! But if you could only pick one, I’d say play Inquisition since it ties the most to the Veil Guard story.

[@lydlbutton]

i'm so glad you enjoyed it!!! 🥺💜 inquisition or all seems to be most folks's opinion

[@LadySoria28]

If you want to hear the conversation between Solas and Varric, there is a youtube video that isolated it... I just can't remember who did it. 😅

[@lydlbutton]

👀👀

[@catika505]

You should definitely start with the first game. This series has some of the most developed lore and worldbuilding I've ever seen, it really helps to play the series from the start so you can fully appreciate it. Without spoiling anything, this new game is the culmination of several lore threads that have been established from the very beginning. I'm VERY hyped to see how it all plays out! Also Solas might be one of the most interesting and complex characters ever written (no one @ me its just my opinion ok 😅). When you said "he doesnt sound like someone who thinks very much" I had to laugh... arguably his worst trait is that he thinks way too much about everything, in fact if he stopped thinking so much everyone would probably be a lot happier, including himself 😂

[@lydlbutton]

i always enjoy characters with a bit of a god complex or even god existence, often our elven friends, who are so... separated from the reality and PASSION and pain of the other races with shorter lifespans. they make for fabulous, self-righteous antagonists who truly think they're in the right & often subscribe to utilitarianism. LOVE the conflicts that come from purist utilitarians and folks that are more in the middle.

[@catika505]

@lydlbutton oh yeah I think you would *definitely* enjoy him then 👀 summed up his character in a comment

[@MalarikFilms]

12:45 this PC is a duelist, so they spin around a lot really fast with swords. (Duelist is one of the three specializations of the rouge class) You can also be a mage or warrior (they also have three specializations.) I have played all the games 6 times😊 I think you should play them in order, they all drop lore that leads to this game. They all have characters that will show up later and they all nudge each other along. You could play inquisition first, but the "world state" or story wouldn't match up with what you do in the first two games.

[@Theater00jock]

I know this is not realistic but this is the one game I would say that you really should play the previous games first. At least Origins and Inquisition. I normally am the “just jump in” type of person but the story and world is just so brilliantly built. You will be missing out on a ton of context if you don’t play the previous games. I mean hopefully it will stand well on its own, but I really believe you’ll enjoy it more if you play the previous ones

[@lydlbutton]

thanks for your input!!! 💜

[@Sachnite]

I have been waiting for this game for 7 years lol. Girllll it's so awesome seeing this from the perspective of someone new to the game. I would HIGHLY recommend you at the very least play Dragon Age Inquisition and its DLC Trespasser in the mean time while Veilguard comes out. It's kind of a direct prequel to Veilguard and will inform your knowledge of this new game. I would also love seeing you do a playthrough if you decide to play Inquisition. Aaand if you want to deep dive into the series I say play through all 3 previous games

[@lydlbutton]

thanks so much for the info!!! do you reckon if i play inquisition before origin & 2, will i ruin the story "reveals" in the first two for myself?

[@Sachnite]

@lydlbutton I actually started the dragon age series with inquisition I didn't feel like I missed out on anything or like I was missing info when playing it having not even heard of DAO or DA2 at the time lol. I love that the games work as a standalone even though it's part of the series like there may be some stuff that you may miss by only playing inquisition but you will not even notice it to be honest. I suggest playing inquisition because Solas is a big part of Inquisition and your character in that game, while none of us have played Veilguard there is so much of his character I think you would miss by not playing Inquisition.

[@KeelahSelai161]

@@lydlbutton this is not a good advice, you should play it in order you can import your previous game save file to the next game because you will see characters from previous games and you will be confused about their backgrounds, so you should def. play all of them, sorry for my english

[@clane7911]

Hey, welcome to the series! It's not normal for games to have a trailer so wildly out of sync with the tone of the gameplay, but it's become kind of an unfortunate tradition for the Dragon Age series. I can't remember about Dragon Age 2, but Origins and Inquisition both had at least one similarly odd trailer (Origins even had a trailer with a Marilyn Manson song in it, of all things). The marketing departments at EA just do not know how to advertise these games. Starting from the beginning (Origins) is ideal, since the events of one game tend to flow into the next one, even if they each are technically a different story. But if you should also be okay starting with the most recent one (Inquisition), since the events of that one (and especially its Trespasser DLC) are likely to be the most important context for Veilguard.

[@lydlbutton]

surprising to hear the other games also had some tonal dissonance! i guess folks kind of have announcement rose tinted glasses considering the launch of the previous game (i think?) was ~10 years go thanks so much for your input 📝

[@navyknight3127]

I know people will probably suggest only play DA Inquisition to understand DA Veilguard but I would say play all the games including the dlc's for the full DA experience Because I've seen some ppl who played Inquisition first and didn't really understand certain things until they played Origins and DA2 so yeah, I'd say play the games in order for the full experience.

[@eduardomoura4542]

It would be really cool if you played the games on your channel once you have the chance, I love seeing people play my favorite franchise for the first time and it would be so cool to see the story from the perspective of a fantasy author. (if you haven't started playing them already that is, it's been two weeks since this video, lol)

[@lydlbutton]

i haven't started them yet!! but i'm thinking it might be one of the next franchises i dive into

[@naniwa111]

You got a thick orange car 🤯

[@misti-step]

hi lydia!!! hope you enjoy!

[@lydlbutton]

oh i am EXCITED! i really enjoyed the story that I got to see in the trailer!

[@SaraPopovic]

welcome to the fandom, i was a newbie when i first played inquisition and fell in love with it. there is a great channel Ghil Dirthalen - she makes lore videos and just made videos for newbies explaining history and need to know

[@lydlbutton]

thanks so much for the welcome Sara!! and thank you for the recommendation, i'm jotting it down

[@Ummer]

So the DA games, you can have romances in them as well. One of the most popular and most tragic of the romances is in Inquisition with Solas. You can only romance him as a female elf. There's a term in the fandom called "Solavellen Hell" after you romance him. (Solas + Lavallen which is the elf's last name) So a whole swath of fans are absolutely thrilled to see him as a main character in this game. Half the fandom wants to punch him, the other half wants to kiss him. It's good times. DA:O does have an issue with a memory leak on newer systems but there is a 4GB mod out there that should help you play it without crashing. DA2 is where Varric is first introduced. And then DAI was the one where both came in. You don't HAVE to play DAO and DA2 if you don't want to, DAI should be enough. I do recommend DAI though for sure before Veilguard. VG feels more of a direct sequel to it than DAO-2 or 2-Inky. Welcome to the fandom! The fanartists are amazing. Dive over to tumblr for that if you're into fanart. They seem to have settled there after all the dust kicked up with twitter and IG etc. Bioware is currently starting up Fanart Fridays again so they're encouraging creatives.

[@lydlbutton]

love it when the fandom is split on characters! it makes for such fun discussions

[@LadySoria28]

While I think you should play all the previous Dragon Age games, if you are short on time and/or money, play Dragon Age Inquisition, it has enough information on the first two to cover most of the lore gaps, and gives you the most insight to Solas. Also has my favourite romance in the series, one Josephine Montilyet.

[@lydlbutton]

oooooooo! I will have to keep an eye out for Josephine

[@joeywild2011]

It would be awesome if Veilguard interested you into trying it, but I’d *highly* recommend you play the trilogy first. It’s a great series and will make Veilguard much more impactful story-wise

[@lydlbutton]

do you have any guesses on whether veilguard will be the conclusion to some pre-existing plot threads? for example, games like Final Fantasy XIV-- the base game & several expansions all cover the same overarching threat & plot, with their self-encompassed plots, the newest expansion starts an entirely new story & conflict. do you feel like the trilogy is kind of self-contained & has a solid conclusion & veilguard will be a brand new conflict w/ ties to the world OR does it continue a lot of untied threads?

[@tinaswafford1985]

​@@lydlbuttonThe games do continue plotlines throughout the world, i.e., who is king, what state is Morrigan in, what happened to people who were in love, and here is Solas, interacting with us, when we didn't know if he would. They don't give closure on all things, and some were important to some of us -- but I still hold out hope. Be ready to laugh and also get your heart broken -- but you'll remember what happened for years. 👍

[@tinaswafford1985]

​​@@lydlbutton- Also in regard to continuing storyline, if you play Origins, the intro has several introduction story options that you can playthrough as a different race or class, to find out what life in Thedas is like for that kind of person. (Quite a difference.) This gives you a perspective of self in Thedas at this time that you will carry with you all through the plots. And by the time you play The Veilguard, it will have a big impact on you and how all you've learned gives you a full perspective on the history that unfolded leading up to Solas' part in it. ❤

[@danielcavesripfuture9866]

When you do play the games, there's something called Dragon age keep that transfer you pass choices from the first 2 games into inquisition. Ather playing DA:O and DA:2, you should look into it.

[@lydlbutton]

ugh i love this! i really enjoyed a similar thing in Mass Effect

[@Gabriolus]

You should check out the oder dragon age titles as well,

[@lydlbutton]

thanks!

[@sortilien2099]

It seems that Veilguard can be your entry door in the Franchise said the devs. But you'll miss a Ton of details, eastereggs, & subplots. To be fair even if the 1st is Old and also old school, it's still the best way to discover the universe. (you protagonist is the hero on his journey to kill the big bag Arch Demon) The 2nd is my fav but makes no sense if you never play the 1st and is launch pad for the third opus if you did it's "legacy" DLC. ( You are "just human" just a witness of event that will reshape the world and you can't stop them no matter what just sail on the waves & hope for the best) . The 3rd would answer a lot of you current question. Ok, but with a lot inflated gametime. and most decision will make more sense if you played the 1st & 2nd opus, than as you caracter in term of RP. But the Trespasser DLC is a golden nugget and the intro to veilguard ! Whatever you do don't look the movies or show they are crappy as hell ! Dragon age Absolution is a mess the only thing interesting in it is resolve in a cheap way & it destroy everything the 3rd Dragon age try to do. Dawn of the seeker is bad & its animation aged as poorly as it was written.

[@lydlbutton]

is dragonage similar to mass effect where your save from previous games influence them? will veilguard be influenced by the previous saves or is it separate?

[@sortilien2099]

@@lydlbutton Your choice on the 1st Opus might add/change some quest in the 2nd opus, you also can meet some people/ previous compagnons as eastereggs. Everything make more sense if you played all of them. Veilguard will ask you to make your backgroundstory of DAO, DA2 & DAI or choose a preselected (that option always existed). it seem you'll do it with tarot cards at the start of the game.

[@proteuswest1084]

@@lydlbutton You can save world states all the way through the first three games and that has an impact on who you may see in future games, or on some events there, but probably not quite to the level that you see in Mass Effect, which is a single protagonist story. When it does affect it, usually through a combination of decisions, it can be pretty huge. Veilguard will allow you to make choices from previous games that are relevant to this game during character creation, and provide context for those choices. They have also confirmed that while you create your Rook, you will also create the Inquisitor, the protagonist from the last game. All of this will be available in the game client and won't require out of game applications, which is different from previous titles where you used Dragon Age Keep on the EA App.

[@lydlbutton]

@@proteuswest1084 oh this is a really neat way to keep the spirit of the previous games but let you jump right in!!! thanks for the info

[@jamesstrangewood6276]

if you were considering playing DAV, i really would recommend at the very least playing inquisition. the other two (regardless of what people say about 2 because it IS actually a good game and gives you your big introduction to varric aka the crossbow guy who has been our narrator for the last few games) are incredible but all three of them play very differently. 2 imo has the most resonant companions and character arcs. it really is gut punch after gut punch (it's my favorite) but veilguard (DAV) is a more direct sequel to the events from inquisition as solas (which means pride, hence the pride demon joke) is a companion from DAI and plays a pretty significant role in both the game and in the lore.

[@benoitgauthier6998]

As a general warning/advice non spoilery about the 4 games. The saga move from a more tactical to a more action packed over time, so each dragon age feel very different from each other. I don't think you need to play all games, especially since they are so different to each other. The second one is almost a standalone adventure that tied to the setting of the third game (Inquitision) and the fourth (veilguard) is more of a direct sequel to inquisition. Also I love Inquisition but some open world features are just not really fun, so if you want to play it, as weird as it sounds, I recommand to focus on story missions and characters missions as the exploration is not really rewarding (the story is great though). Also, depending on your schedule they are a ton of recap video incoming if you want a summary on key event and players that are probably tied to the story of Veilgard.

[@lydlbutton]

thanks for being so thoughtful about spoilers 💜 i appreciate your input & i agree summary videos are a pretty awesome resource

[@_Thaery]

Another one claimed by Thedas. Welcome dear one......we are so pleased to have you here. I love how this world deals with mages it is unique and realistic.

[@lydlbutton]

ooooooo this makes me excited!! i'll be paying extra special attention to the mages & their stories

[@grecha7656]

The best way to enjoy Veilguard is to play through all the games in order. Some people say all you need is Inquisition but I very much disagree because I feel like DAI is not very friendly to a new player. I would know, I played first three games out of order and I was very confused the first 20 hours of Inquisition. Every major problem in new game is the result of events in previous games so having that context would help. Besides, the games are good so i see no reason to not play them. If you start now you'll finish by the time Veilguard comes out. Just make sure to consult some dragon age players you trust before starting so they could point you towards bug fixing mods for older games and a much needed party banter mod for Inquisition

[@lydlbutton]

this is a good perspective! would you say that you're someone familiar with consuming fantasy content? i find i'm really comfortable with unanswered questions / confusing terminology because i trust the answers will come eventually or from somewhere else. part of me is tempted to play inquisition for like 10 hours so i can make a video about whether i believe folks can just jump in or if i really think they should make time for the others!

[@grecha7656]

@@lydlbutton i play a lot of fantasy games, i prefer fantasy, in fact. I just feel like it's really rewarding seeing the consequences of your decisions from previous games and I could make more informe decisions throughout my journey. But don't let me stop you. If you start Inquisition and take time to acquaint yourself to the world, read most in-game codex entries it should be fine. Just please make sure you get the party banter mod, otherwise companions just don't speak to each other while exploring and party banter is the most entertaining part of exploration.

[@arjunharikumar7176]

i think dragon age inquisition is one of the best story ive even seen because of its characters, its also the prettiest game ive ever played even better than veilguard inmy opinion.

[@lydlbutton]

sounds like loads of folks love inquisition! i'll definitely put it high on my list

[@ringofbrass]

while all the games are great, you could just play inquisition(and the dlc) it depends on how much time you want to invest into the series before da:tv comes out. :)

[@ringofbrass]

and re: solas, he is one of those characters that you get back what you put in, when you interact with him if you keep and open mind, ask questions and honestly be kinda nerdy he'll get on well with you.

[@lydlbutton]

this seems to be a popular take! if i play inquisition before origin & 2, will i ruin the first two for myself?

[@ringofbrass]

​@@lydlbuttonI actually often recommend playing inquisition first because it's the most modern game. the plots are all contained and take place mostly separately. DA:I is built to be a good intro to the world. (DA:tv will also be made to be a good intro as well but there's no way I wouldn't recommend at least trying da:I first ) it's complicated, origins are da2 are great games with their own pro/con list. origins is pretty old and crashes a Lot, but you can't beat the origin system(depending on your race/class the first couple hours of you game will be completely different.). da2 had a very rushed development cycle and that definitely shows in the game. but it's definitely great for that find family feeling, the fandom often reframes da2's flaws as it's a story being told by varric so it makes sense(varric is a character you met in the new games trailers) sorry I'm a little scatter brained hopefully this made sense

[@ringofbrass]

also to note, while elements of previous games might be spoiled kinda by other games, (cameos and returning characters) these games have so much content and variety in how endings happen having one small element in no way discounts the other games. it would be more like watching the avengers first then going back to watch Iron Man to see more Tony Stark IMHO. but playing them in order is totally great, just a matter of how much you want to invest consider the unique difficulties of older games. (though they are great)

[@foxfire9320]

I’m for anything that gets a new player into my favourite game series, but as a longtime fan, this trailer left me and many others cold because the style of it is so not representative of the Dragon Age we know. The gameplay trailer is a little better, but honestly it doesn’t showcase the very best thing about the series, which is not is gameplay and not graphics but the writing and characters. DA has always had very thematically strong and engaging storytelling. If you’re a writer, I’m assuming you enjoy characters and lore. If you want see why you might love this franchise, the very first game (Origins) does an excellent job of getting you emotionally invested in the cultural / political conflicts of the world in a very personal way, right from the get go. You’ll also see within the first few hours of the game that the writing and characters have a spark and intelligence that while not completely absent from these trailers, aren’t anywhere near on full display here either. The lore gets richer and deeper with each game in the series and over time it becomes obvious they’ve been playing a long and beautiful game in terms of the larger DA story. I would say to NOT start with Inquisition, as so many have suggested, regardless of how pretty it looks. The first two games have old graphics, but they also have magical writing and characters that it’d be a tragedy to miss out on - and imo anyone who says otherwise either doesn’t know what makes dragon age truly special, or they don’t have faith in great writing and storytelling being enough to grab a new player. Which might be the case for some players, but they don’t know what they’re missing out on 😂 Further, if you’re enjoying the role playing and companion interactions in BG3, there’s a very high chance you’ll enjoy DAO for those same reasons ✨

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

They’re dwarves 🤦

[@lydlbutton]

Yeh, I eventually figured that out! A bit tough to tell when you have no frame of reference for the size of the characters vs. other races. The trailer is so stylized, too! Excited to learn more about the peoples of DragonAge; I'm much more familiar with D&D & Tolkien.

[@Adanu191]

I am reserving judgment for when I say some high end gameplay. right now, this game has way too much mass effect in it for me to take it seriously. I want a tactical RPG, not an action button masher like this seems to be.

[@lydlbutton]

that is absolutely fair!! i've found myself leaning more towards turn-based combat lately, but i'm intrigued enough by the story to play anyway

[@nnez9009]

'Rook' is a title. They've confirmed you customize your first name and the last name is based on your faction, I believe. I'm so glad that you are giving them an open look. So many of us were put off by the reveal, but knew the gameplay would be what mattered. Happily sold on a pre-order, when they are announced, after having 1000+ hours in the trilogy. Hopefully we are seeing a new fan! I personally enjoy DA:I and DA:2 the most of the three old games, but I know people will defend DA:O to their dying breath. Make up your own mind on what your favorite is, but give them all a chance if you enjoy the story and want to get into it! The complexity of the world is just amazing.

[@jenniferhanses]

I'm not sure. I think it might be a last name like Hawke. Otherwise why not call it Dragon Age: Rook?

[@nnez9009]

@@jenniferhanses Its been confirmed by game devs in the Discord Q&A that Rook is just a title, like Inquisitor. You choose your first name and your last name is based on your faction, like Inquisition. As far as titles, Inquisition is by chance, as the title happens to match the institution the game is based around. But Dragon Age: Origins title is based on the gameplay mechanics that start the game. Dragon Age II was renamed from its originally intended title of Dragon Age: Exodus, because EA believed it should be marketed like Mass Effect, despite Dragon Age II not being a 'true sequel' to Dragon Age: Origins. Dragon Age: Inquisition, as mentioned, is titled after its foundational organization and the group you're building through playing the game and building relationships with your companions. That's how Veilguard is as well, it seems. We are building a 'Veilguard' through our relationships with our companions. My guess is 'Rook' is the title of the leader of the titular Veilguard. Much like the Inquisitor, whose first name you choose and whose last name is determined by your faction/race, was the leader of the Inquisition.

[@jenniferhanses]

@@nnez9009 On the one hand, good to know. On the other hand What? That doesn't seem to make any sense with the gameplay footage we've been shown. I mean, you wouldn't need a veilguard until you confront Solan and the Veil tears, right? But they start out calling you Rook. And it can't be a title from your association since there are six different associations, and I don't know why all of them would use the term Rook. Like, I have no issue with the word Rook, or even Rook being a title. But they kind of need to clarify where the title is coming from and what it is supposed to mean. Like, if I had to guess what position the title Rook referred to is, I'd be guessing "VIP's bodyguard" not the VIP himself. I did learn to play chess as a kid, and that's what a Rook is.

[@GKViddingHD]

I know a lot of people are saying "play the whole franchise" but seriously that is utopian if you still have a real life to manage haha. My suggestion: Storywise (!) and for the whole lore "feel" it is enough if you dip into Dragon Age Inquisition. You will understand the character dynamics better and just get excited for the world of Thedas. The whole series has changed massively since the start so I would not bother with DA Origins or DA2. Also, let's face it, their graphics are just too old.

[@jenniferhanses]

While I would still recommend the whole thing, DA:I is really the only "must play" since Solus is carrying on directly from there. If you have the time to prep only one, play DA:I.

[@KeelahSelai161]

Graphics are too old :D better story, better characters, much darker tone, inqusition looks like cartoon, you guys shouldn't give advice about games if you disliking a game because its old

[@GKViddingHD]

@@KeelahSelai161 I love the story and style and I never said I liked the new graphics. I just said they are too old. The rest is your reading into my post.

[@jonathanstern5537]

A few things you should know. 1. Minrathous is the capital city of the Tevinter Imperium. 2. Tevinter is a mageocracy who practice slavery, have a strict caste system, and are generally hated by the rest of the world. 3. We don't know the person well enough, our friend does because they fought together during Dragon Age Inquisition. 4. Rook is the last name of the protagonist. You can choose your first name as well as everything else about yourself (race, gender, faction, appearance, voice, class, and specialization) 5. You do have limited options as far as voice, class, faction, and specialization. There are only about 8 (I think) voices, but you can change the pitch. There are three classes, each with three specializations, and you don't choose your specialization immediately, but as you progress through the game. There are 6 factions, each of them come with a buff, unique dialogue options, and reactions from other characters (you'll notice that the Shadow Dragons were mentioned a couple of times). 6. The factions are (In alphabetical order), The Antivan Crows: Swift knives in the dark, these ruthless assassins are respected and feared as Antiva's shadowy protectors. The Grey Wardens: An ancient order sworn to fight darkspawn & monsters. Wardens undergo secret rites that grant them supernatural powers. The Lords of Fortune: Explorers, hunters, and treasure-seekers from Rivain who are famed for their daring exploits and narrow escapes. The Mourn Watch: A necromantic order that tends to Nevarra's sprawling Grand Necropolis, where undead walk and spirits dwell. The Shadow Dragons: A resistance group opposing corrupt rulers and slavery in Tevinter. They are determined to bring justice to the people. The Veil Jumpers: Explorers of ancient elven ruins. They welcome anyone brave enough to face Arlathan's reality-warping magic. 7. Each of your companions, with the exception of Harding, has an association with one of these factions. 8. There will be a story mode where combat is quick and easy. 10. The first two characters you saw (who are also the two narrating the trailer) are dwarves, that's why they're short and stout, though you can make short and stout characters of other races. 11. The previous Dragon Age games are playable and enjoyable on their own, but playing the other games enhances the experience. 12. They game that Solas was in was Dragon Age Inquisition, so if you want to know about that adventure, play that game. Be warned though, it was an open world game, and open worlds aren't Bioware's strong suit.

[@aniieesteiner]

5: Four voices, 2 male and 2 female.

[@jonathanstern5537]

@@aniieesteiner Thanks. I forgot whether it was 4 or 4 a piece, so I went with the higher number.

[@heterodawg4540]

so this is the modern audience. hahahaha

Veilguard, just looks a fortnite dlc.

[@lydlbutton]

is that a plus for you? 😊

@@lydlbutton no thanks, I prefer Origins.

[@KeelahSelai161]

@@lydlbutton the first 2 games are much darker, i think thats why he said that 😅

[@HyouVizer]

nice to see perspective from a someone new to the franchise. Day one buy for me before the reveal, even more so from all info of various dev interviews. Veilguard will have a very deep character creator, able to change your body type, limbs, height, hair, eyes, face, butt and even bulge. Its first in the franchise, as past games, just change your face only. Can play as several races; human, dwarf, elf, and qunari. Qunari are tall bulky race with horns. Starting classes are warrior, rogue, and mage. The Rook you saw was a Rogue class. Any race can be any class, but dwarves cant be mages. Mages draw their spell energy from The Fade, dream realm. Sadly dwarves cant dream, so they dont have any connection to The Fade. You can also decide your character's faction, which is part of their background. Each of your party members is from one of the six factions. The Rook in the gameplay reveal is from the Shadow Dragons, liberation for slaves which are very common in Mithrathous. There will also be a transmog system too. Transmog is common terminology in games, it alternate appearance of equipment to ones you like the look better while keeping the stronger equipment on for better stats. Again another first in the franchise using this feature too. Exploration will be seeing a myriad of small sandbox zones, and dungeons for questing, combat that involve cities and towns too. Can have 2 other party members, you can command them to use 1 of 3 if their own abilities in combat via the pause wheel. Each ability has synergy with one other to deal more damage from the order you them, so best to mix and match abilities best suited for your party. There is a pretty big skill tree, loads of passives and changes how each ability functions too. Later can have your startet class become an advanced profession with better abilities for different builds. Romance is always a big feature in Dragon Age, Veilguard is the same for that. You can romance any of the 7 party members no matter your custom character's gender or race since all the party members are canonically pansexual. Some of them will become couple too on their own if you romance the other ones. As you see, choice in dialogue cutscenes often can change an outcome for better or worse. The developers stated that some changes in this game can result in permanently killing off a party member so as stated, choose wisely.

[@lydlbutton]

woah this is a lot of info! i didn't realize so much was already known about the game implementation