Question: Once you commit to a specialization are you actually committing to that one area only? Do you have to go through that skill tree or can you jump between all three?
Cameron Lee: We wanted to make the specializations more meaningful and you’ll pick only one for your class…or none. You invest in that tree as much or as little as you wish. But there is no cross specialization.
Question: Will players be able to respec talents on the fly?
Cameron Lee: Talent respec is a purchased item. It’s based on your char’s money in the game in order to buy the token. You can’t do this in combat but can between encounters.
Question: How much visual variety are there in weapons and armor? Are there purely cosmetic visuals?
Cameron Lee: There is a lot, I don’t know how many, but a helluva lot you can create. Some are colors. Some shapes, tints, sheens, etc. There aren’t purely cosmetic visuals at this point.
Question: Can you re-spec specializations on items?
Cameron Lee: Because gaining a specialization is part of the player’s story, the respect item will only respect the talents within your specialization, it won’t wipe the specialization itself
MMORPG.com: Can armor be dyed and/or upgraded without changing its look?
Cameron Lee: Color is dictated by the materials you use in crafting. Special dye items won’t be at launch, but we’re looking at the possibility of adding them later on, but no guarantees.
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MMORPG.com: Will there be legendary crafts like Wade’s in Awakening? How do skills and resources play into it? Are both required? NPCs or companions as crafters?
Cameron Lee: Legendary items can be found throughout the game. In crafting, you can find a powerful schematic with lots of options and slots and how much metal, and then fill it with what you want to make it look the way you want or have the stats your wish. Legendary items will have “masterwork” slot to be filled.
The most effective weapons are crafted with a filled masterwork slot that is totally tailored to each player’s individual style and that supplement it and the party each person creates. It’s sort of “synergy with play style” and takes time invested to find a masterwork material and the right schematic and enchanting with the right rune.
There is no skill gateway – Everyone can craft. Inquisition talents can improve the system and those tie into the biggest customization options. It’s a global crafting system.
Question: Can you save character creation progress as a template for later? Can those looks be shared?
Cameron Lee: I don’t have the answer to that and we’ll get back to you on that.
Question: Can a character’s look be changed at some point?
Cameron Lee: At this point, no, we haven’t had time for that yet. No promises on that yet.
Question: Is customization to face only or height/body?
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Cameron Lee: It’s limited to face for a couple reasons. When we brought back races into DA, there was a lot of variety in genders and four races, a lot of variables. We didn’t want to do on top of that another series of modifications with body and such. So it’s just the face but the combination of gender/classes, you’ll get a good variety – armor changes things too.
CUSTOMIZATION: It’s for Companions Too!
Question: Companion armor – will they look like they belong in the armor they wear?
Cameron Lee: BioWare characters have a lot of personality that includes their look. When we examined how a particular set of armor looked on a character, we took that into consideration. The same suit of armor will look one way, for instance, on Cassandra and another on Iron Bull. They will have a slightly different look. Some characters have a particular look that suits them such as Templar or Seeker armor on Cassandra.
MMORPG.com: In Dragon Age, your companions’ look changed depending if they were hardened or not. For instance, Leliana wore armor if hardened, a robe if not. Will something like this happen in DAI based on a character’s relationship to the Inquisitor inside Skyhold?
Cameron Lee: One of the things players didn’t like was having a companion’s look dictated to them. The look here is now based on how players want companions to look, not based on a relationship system.
GENERAL: Crafting & Customization (Other)
Question: Can potions and tonics be upgraded? Do we need schematics for that?
Cameron Lee: Upgrades are found through a level system. The alchemist can ask for other materials to research a better version. You find them, bring them back and the upgrade is made.
MMORPG.com: Will players be able to create their own heraldic symbol for use on banners or shields?
Cameron Lee: No User Created Content. Skyhold has heraldry and you can gain heraldry in a variety of ways throughout the story. If you want banners with the GW symbol, or the Qunari symbol, or the Inquisitions, you can pick that in the Skyhold customization option.
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THE GRAB BAG: Tossed 'Em Out to See if An Answer Would Float to the Surface
Question: There are implications in the game based on a character’s race. Is there going to be some direction for new players?
Cameron Lee: We don’t want to overwhelm a new player by spoiling that first experience in the world with a certain race. Players will be given a certain amount of information but we want them to experience the content and learn. We want it experienced through whole game slowly rather than dump it all in at the beginning. The joy of uncovering it, that first look at it is important for new players. But it’s cool to experience it first hand as they play through.
Question: Do any previous decisions affect who companions act towards the Inquisitor or weapons or abilities that they may have?
Cameron Lee: It doesn’t affect abilities but it does certainly affect that character, and not just their interactions with you, but their interactions with other characters in the game. Actions/decisions that the Warden made with Morrigan (Cassandra/Varric) will flesh out how she acts in Inquisition and how she interacts with other characters. For instance Cassandra and Varric had a relationship in DA2 that, depending on choices made there, will affect how they interact with one another as well as with other characters.
Question: How do you collect the Jar of Bees?
Cameron Lee: Jar of Bees grenade is actually a special case
- First you need to complete an operation on the war table to gain access to bees for your Inquisition
- Then you need to collect alchemy herbs from the world in order to prime the grenade. This priming of the grenade is what you’re doing when you replenish the Bee grenade
I’m not sure how you get bees so I’m going to go find out.
MMORPG.com: When can we expect to see The Keep?
Cameron Lee: Soon ™
Do the Dragon Age: Inquisition customization and crafting systems interest you? What caught your eye? Let us know in the comments!
