Unique Companion Concepts

[RamenAwesome]

Greetings everyone,

I am an amateur modder and I am attempting to organize a collaborative project to create two unique companions for the main character in DA:O.

Below is an outline for the two characters I had in mind, I hope that I can appeal my cause to other modders to help give players a wider selection of companions in the game.

 

Character 1:

Name: Manasus

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Class: Mage

Specialization: Blood Mage

 

Manasus is a young apostate mage who fled the circle for his study of blood magic. Manasus' attitude is esoteric, to say the least, and occasionally arrogant, however should a female warden pursue him as a romantic interest he behaves somewhat awkwardly and takes the romance very seriously. He claims he learned blood magic for the reason that "there is no glory in bloodshed, I won't pretend there is." He hopes that by learning blood magic he can dispel fears of the school, and empower mages with this most useful, if controversial, power. He takes no pleasure in using his powers to kill, but he will admit that combat provides an excellent outlet to test the limits of magic.

 

Voice Acted: Yes

Romancable: Yes, Women Only

 

To help characterize him, I wrote out some conceptual plot moments:

 

First Encounter/Recruitment: After leaving Lothering the warden wanders into a confrontation between Manasus and chantry templars. The templars refuse to stand down, and the player can then decide whether to fight with or against the templars. If the warden helps Manasus then after the skirmish Manasus confronts the last surviving templar, begging him to tell the chantry he is dead, and to leave him alone. The templar outright refuses, and unwilling to compromise his safety, Manasus kills the templar. After this the player will have the option to recruit or kill Manasus or let him go free. If the player assists the templars than Manasus will be brought to his knees defeated. The warden can then allow the templars to execute Manasus, or alternatively, he can conscript Manasus into his party, whereupon the templars will begrudgingly leave, warning the warden that Manasus is dangerous.

 

Reaction to decisions during the Broken Circle quest: Although he will originally express contempt for aiding the circle, he will express approval of the warden's actions if he/she saves the circle saying that compared to the Chantry and the Rite of Annulment, the Circle is the lesser of two evils. However, if the warden supports the right of annulment, Manasus will greatly disprove. He will be appalled by the warden's total disregard for the lives of the mages, as well as the warden's ignorant belief that the circle was beyond saving.

 

Reaction to decisions during the Arl Of Redcliff quest: Manasus will support aiding the village against the attack by the undead. When the warden reaches the castle Manasus will approve slightly if blood magic is used to enter the fade, but only if he is sent through the portal. If the circle is summoned and the warden uses lyrium to enter the fade, no approval changes will occur. However, if the warden opts to slay the possessed Connor, Manasus will be infuriated saying a child need never die, and no parent deserves the punishment of seeing their own kin slayed.

 

Positions needed to create this character:

Voice Actor: I am more than willing to do this myself as I have a decent mic and editing software

Writer: I can write dialogue for major plot points, or offer guidance and consultation on how Manasus will react to events, but I need a dedicated script writer for most of his dialogue

Animator: To animate all cut scenes and dialogue involving Manasus.

Coder: Well, to do everything else...

 

Optional positions

Additional Voice Actors

Modder to design unique equipment for this character

 

Character 2:

Name: Yiyeni

Race: Dalish Elf

Gender: Female

Class: Rouge

Specialization: Ranger

 

Yiyeni will be from the same Dalish tribe as the Dalish Elf Warden. Behavior wise she is very light-hearted and self confident. Somewhat self-righteous, she will almost always disprove of actions that can be deemed evil. In addition she has a deep-seated hatred for the darkspawn, as she wants revenge on them from separating her form her people. If the warden is an elf she will openly flirt with him/her. However if the warden is a human or dwarf she will be more cautious and less confident, worried about her relationship with the warden becoming awkward. Ultimately she hopes that someday after her debt to the warden is repaid she can track down her tribe somewhere in the Free Marches.

 

Voice Acted: Yes

Romancable: Yes, Bisexual

 

To help characterize her here I wrote out some conceptual plot points:

 

First Encounter/Recruitment: After leaving Lothering the player will encounter Yiyeni about to be executed by Darkspawn. The warden intervenes just before the fatal blow is struck, and a brief battle is fought between the warden and the darkspawn. After the player defeats them, he/she will help Yiyeni to her feet. If the warden is a Dalish Elf, Yiyeni will express great joy and surprise at finding her old friend again. If the warden is not a Dalish, she will simply thank him/her for saving her from the darkspawn. In either case, she will explain that while traveling North with the clan the darkspawn attacked the tribed and she became separated. She will sadly admit, that she had been fleeing the band of darkspawn for nearly two days, who had been hunting her the entire way. Yiyeni acknowledges that she has little chance of catching up to the rest of the clan, assuming they are still alive, and that she has nowhere else to go. The warden can then accept her offer to join his/her fight against the darkspawn, or she can be sent on her way.

 

Reaction to decisions during The Nature Of The Beast quest: If the player sides with Zathrean and exterminates the werewolves, she will disapprove slightly, saying that they didn't deserve such punishment. However she can be persuaded it was the right decision. If the warden creates a truce between the Dalish and the werewolves, Yiyeni will approve and be thoroughly impressed with the wardens diplomacy. However, if the warden sides with the werewolves and slaughters the Dalish, she will outraged and appalled by the Warden's resort to bloodshed, as well as his/her disregard for the lives of her fellow Dalish.

 

Reaction to decisions during The Arl Of Redcliff: If the warden chooses to kill Connor, Yiyeni will disprove saying that Lady Isolde didn't deserve to have her only son die. With coercion though, the warden can remind Yiyeni that Isolde brought it upon herself by employing Jowan and by keeping Connor hidden from the circle. If the warden uses blood magic to sacrifice Isolde, she will greatly disprove, saying it was unethical, unnecessary, and careless. She is enraged with the warden saying that the warden risked to much, and that asking the man who was the source of the entire ordeal to fix it with more of his corrupt magic was beyond stupid. If the warden summons the circle and uses lyrium to enter the fade, she will greatly approve, and express amazement that the warden somehow continues to save everyone.

 

Positions needed to create this character:

Voice Actor: I cannot as I am a guy...

Writer: Again I can write dialogue for major plot points, or offer guidance and consultation on how Yiyeni will react to events, but I need a dedicated script writer for most of his dialogue

Animator: To animate all cut scenes and dialogue involving Yiyeni

Coder: Well, to do everything else...

 

Optional positions

Modder to design unique equipment for this character

Edited February 19, 2011 by RamenAwesome

[RamenAwesome]

Are you interested in joining my project?

Then just follow these instructions!

 

Voice Actor: If you want to apply for the position as the voice of either character that post your intentions on this forum. I will then post some sample lines that Manasus/Yiyeni would say on this forum. All you have to do is read and record the characters lines and then attach them to your responding post. I will listen to them and then let you know what I think!

 

Writer: Think you can write dialogue? Write a sample conversation between the warden and either of the characters. Try to keep the banter as close to the descriptions I have given as you and then post your work on this forum.

 

Animator: Post a link to any previous work you might have, or attach a sample of your creations!

 

Coder: Same as the animator, links to previous mods you have worked on would be great!

[TheShadyLady]

Hello! This is a very interesting idea you've got going on here. I am really liking how fleshed out the characters are as well. Perhaps if you also gave us some personality traits people who are interested in voice acting could get an idea of the character they would be playing. I, sadly, am not a voice actor. But I can do dialogue or writing, since writing is what I've always done. Considering you have the characters already fleshed out I could aid you in that part of it.

 

I will work on a banter like suggested and post it here shortly. Just wanted to say I like the creativity in your idea here, and am sure once it gets modded that it will make a wonderful addition to the DA:O game. :3

[Lenweelessar]

Well, i think that you should add a male dalish. Playing as a female dalish gives you no "real" romance options if you want to be completely lore friendly.

[RamenAwesome]

Thank you both for your comments, I hope you find success in your banter! Also I am a little confused, would you care to elaborate on how a female dalish isn't lore friendly?

[Rynnfox]

I agree completely with ShadyLady, I'm really liking this idea. As such, I'd like to try my hand at voice acting Yiyeni. What kind of accent would you want? I can do a very fantasyish english accent, but that might be more suited towards a human noble, or I could head a bit more in the direction of Merrill from DA2 and add an irish/welsh tinge to it. Considering that they are from the same dalish tribe (I'm pretty sure). I don't think I could do the americanish accent that city elves seem to have though, I'm terrible at american accents.

[RamenAwesome]

Thanks for expressing interest Rynnfox! I suppose that if I wanted to keep this 100% lore friendly the accent would have to be Irish or Welsh. However I'm kind of intrigued by the idea of using this fantasy English accent. If you'd be willing, I'd like to hear both! I could write you a sample conversation between the warden and Yiyeni for you, and then I'd just need you to read the lines as you see fit. I'll post something for you before the end of this week, then all you'll have to do is attach some audio files to your post. Read them however you see fit, but I'll be sure to provide context and descriptions to give you an idea of the emotion I'm searching for. I look forward to hearing from you!

[Rynnfox]

That'd be great Ramen :) I'm looking forward to the scripts.

[Isensol]

This is a really cool idea you have the characters are nicely fleshed while leaving room to include some other tidbits :)

I would like to try be a voice actor for Manasus though I had a few questions~

1.) what program would you like us to use to record?

2.)any software you see as something needed for this?

 

I have my own stuff just needed to know what you would like :)

 

I can do a slight Germanic accent or just straight up American accent :P

 

overall even if I'm not needed as a voice actor I would like to aid in any other ways though frankly I'm not a bad writer though I tend to over analyze, as for coding I can do the mere basic so I can't be of much use there >.>. but if any help is needed I would like to :D

[RamenAwesome]

Personally I like the program Audacity for recording. Its free, easy, and allows you to easily edit what you've recorded. Although this program is my personal preference and you may have something better :3

Otherwise, I don't think we need any other software other than the DA:O Toolkit. Anyways I'm almost finished with a sample dialogue for Yiyeni for Rynnfox and if I'm lucky I'll post it tonight or maybe tomorrow. As for you, I'm always willing to listen to another voice actor. As soon as I finish my current task I'll write up something for Manasus.