Exploring The Crossroads & The Blighted City | Dragon Age: The Veilguard [Part 11]

[@Angarl]

I love the exploration in this game, it feels much less of a chore than it did in DAI.

[@9v_batteries]

They absolutely nailed it in my opinion. Great balance between linear and non-linear exploration

[@violetbliss4399]

For me there is too little of it, it's too much of a game level for me. Not always but definitely sometimes. I think I would have liked a slightly different blend, however I am also quite fine with large maps in games so maybe not so surprising. I've never felt the corridor design to be an ideal way to do exploration except where they naturally occur. Subjective etc.... the places are so lovely, that I just wish I could go off the beaten path more than I can. :)

[@viniciusstellium8012]

Mapo's sensitive understanding of Taash's position being between multiple cultures, and struggling to find her own identity, and showing respect while addressing that is refreshing. Thanks Mapo 🥰

[@jord839]

So, for those wondering, a bit of explanation of the Solas Regret quest Mapo ran into. It's in a separate book and, unfortunately, is never fully expanded on in this game, so no spoilers for this game's plot or anything, but if you're curious and don't want to read The Masked Empire about Orlais and Briala's Elven Rebellion from the Inquisition era here's a big NON-GAME PLOT, BUT CHARACTER LORE SPOILER FOR THE NOVEL OF THE MASKED EMPIRE... SERIOUSLY MAPO, DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT OUTSIDE OF GAME SOLAS SPOILERS! Felassan was Solas's #2 throughout the entire rebellion against the Evanuris. He survived the creation of the Veil and lived to the modern day. Remember Briala getting control of the Eluvians and rallying elves in Orlais to her side? She took control of the Crossroads briefly. Felassan was sympathetic and tried to tell Solas to maybe let the modern elves have more of a say in what happened since they were people. Solas... killed him as an obstacle to undoing the Veil. Hence, regret for killing his oldest friend being a massive thing weighing on him.

[@grymmoire]

Cole actually mentions this in Trespasser. “His friend had to die. Because he thought they were people. A slow arrow breaks in the sad wolf's jaws." Felassan’s name means slow arrow 😢

[@tardisfeathers]

It’s so sad, because the Solas after inquisition comes to the same realisation as Felassan did, that the people of Thedas are indeed “real” 😢

[@alexandrasloane]

Taash and Lucanis Crow banter is so good! They were my main team for a lot of my first playthrough and they were so funny and sweet together

[@acfan1988]

Holy moly!! Treviso got MESSED UP. Thank goodness I chose to save Treviso. Minrathos experiences casualties but nowhere near as bad as this

[@deanospimoniful]

Asking people to leave Treviso is asking people to leave the only home they've ever known. The poor might not even have the luxury.

[@NovelistAnne]

Very interesting to see Treviso once you don't choose to save it. Can't believe Heir died, they're one of the people you can talk to to get some background lore on Crow recruitment if they stay alive, so it's a shame you miss out on that with this choice. I do like how choosing a city really affects your game a lot. Makes for a fun replay at least once.

[@roger1502]

This game is such a grower, and so are the characters. Except Emmrich, he's great from the start.

[@JoyaLewisTheMusician]

the thumbnails for this one are really intriguing and I love the light purple! It’s pushing me to try and finish your Dragon Age 2 LP ❤

[@Kaimito_]

57:53 I wonder if this is the undead that found MW!Rook as a baby?? I could’ve sworn in my game with my female MW!Rook it said “…saved the girl with the grave” 🤔

[@proteuswest1084]

It is unique MW dialogue, so yeah, I definitely think the implication is that they found you as a baby.

[@moysoyjoy]

I felt like I was intruding anytime I listened in to the companions conversations at the lighthouse. After they talk, they turn to you in unison and stare, almost like they’re waiting for you to leave before they continue 😂

[@proteuswest1084]

I love listening to Lighthouse conversations, and the banter between companions really adds a lot of texture to them. I did like exploring the conversation trees for companions in previous games like Inquisition reasonably well, but once you exhausted those, it was easy to return to them and realize that they had added very few new things. In a lot of ways, this feels like the Mass Effect 3 and Andromeda approach perfected for Dragon Age, and I really like the balance compared to the way Inquisition did it.

[@nightfrost1891]

i like them interacting with each other more it's also a good way to get more banter since a lot of it requires to take them out, would have been helpful in inquisition since the banter didn't trigger as well esp. if you rode a mount you weren't getting it so most of the banter is put at the lighthouse though some of it is lighthouse specific too apparently good way to do it one thing i really loved about da:tv, just way more natural other than you pretty much being one of the only ones to talk to other people in the camp/hub etc.

[@ems7448]

I found that was the nice thing with the Dragon Age supplemental media (books, comics, etc) - they tend to simply deepen and enhance the world with more background and character information, but none of it is necessary to play the games to where if you don't read any of it, you're not missing anything important. They're just kind of like a nice dessert after the main course of the games.

[@mayanasia]

Emmrich is precious. I was glad to have chosen the mourn watch background on my first playthrough cause the way he and Rook geek out about spirits and all the necromancy business is 👌 I'm loving your playthrough as it allows me to cope with my feelings about the game. Funnily enough, you're now reaching the point that made me enjoy it much more after initial apprehension/ disconnect. Loved everything about the Wardens, maybe because they stayed relatively the closest to their portrayal in the previous games.

[@jenniferatterton1587]

The symbols on the valuables I read somewhere gain reputation with specific factions. If you have a crow's valuable for instance and you sell it at a crow's merchant or vendor you can gain reputation for that faction.

[@9v_batteries]

Holy shit, I'm quite a bit further into the game than you but you've just made me realise where the Shadow Dragons merchant went after saving Treviso🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@PadreMarceloR]

Please do all the side content, side quests, companion quests, go to the cities and do the side quests. Dont skip, they are good to do. And enrich the game and the experience.

[@PadreMarceloR]

Dont run to do the main quests. Do the sides first. Really really enjoying your playthrough. Its the best.

[@09spidy]

Yeah, the ultimate changing back to the default one was a bug that they fixed in the latest patch.

[@tardisfeathers]

Ohhhhh I’m so excited for the reaction to the next bit 👀👀👀

[@coffeemode2159]

Hehe I wound up mostly liking everyone, but Emmrich did end up being my favorite companion. And Manfred is a good boy.

[@Blueschist13]

My 2 cents on the topic of companion conversations and lighthouse banter changes Inquisition to Veilguard. The problem with DATV is that the PC, Rook, is slowly frozen out of the relationships. There is no interactivity and agency for the player and you end up just circling companions like an invisible vulture for dialogue that doesn't take notice of your presence. Also that lack of player interaction, if the dialogue comes off as dull or lacking "meat", makes the chore of circling companions who are randomly spread all over the place a right chore. Compared to specific companions conversations in Inquisition, Veilguard ups the quantity and accessibility but dropped the quality. All that's before we get to specific companions relationships trumping the players own romances in an odd and unsettling way.

[@andrej177]

Mapo since u loved sekiro and hollow knight I can't recommend nine sols enough, one of the best indie games

[@Farfalla_vendetta]

Glad you're enjoying the game, mapo! :) it only continues to get better imo

[@Cartoonboi94]

Agreed!! Kinda like kingdom hearts- slow start but great after the beginning stuff!

[@Sushinelucile]

looks like there’s a bug with the warrior’s ultimate, you’re not the first one I saw complaining about it changing. Hopefully it will get fixed in a patch soon!

[@TarnishedGaming85]

I think it happens with all classes. Happened a lot to my Rogue. Eventually I just gave up and used the default ultimate.

[@Sushinelucile]

@@cthulhucrews6602 the issue was solved in the last patch!

[@09spidy]

I love that we eventually find out WHY Lucanis is obsessed with coffee, and it makes total sense.

[@luisz222]

A minor gripe I have with this game is that for some reason this game is obsessed with talking about food and while that’s not a huge issue and just a fun quirky dialogue the fact that so much of companion chatter is basic just talking about food or coffee is insane when they could’ve used that to explore more of their character or at least establish some sort of dynamic with rook who they ignore for most of the time. You’re basically the regional manager they tolerate but don’t particularly care to get to know. also one thing I realized was that chance candide’s voice actor is one of the nilfgaardian generals you meet in vizima in the beginning of the witcher 3 who asks you about the events of witcher 2.

[@cosmictim0]

Can't wait for Mapo's reaction to famous "reaction to being woman" part 😂

[@xandaera]

Damn, I wonder why Mapo doesn’t want to flirt with any of the companions? Just saying no to more content?

[@Mapocolops]

I have actually maybe you’ve missed the few dialogue options I’d chosen by this point, but also it’s because I hadn’t decided who I want to romance at this point, which is fine?

[@xandaera]

@@Mapocolops:0 mostly joking, didn’t say there’s anything wrong.

[@Mapocolops]

@@xandaera definitely just comes across as a complaint lmao, I’m honing in on a potential romance but I need to feel a good vibe before I start pursuing it 😅