Dragon Age: Inquisition Introducing Alternative to Save Imports

[Xathos]

While I have not had any major save bugs over the course of the games (besides not running into Nathaniel in DA2, even though I totally should have), I have heard stories of many people who have not been so lucky in the save department (the Leliana weird retcon aside). God knows how Inquisition is going to read those messed up save files. This does sound like a good idea, provided that the choices they wish for you to check off are very detailed. I think THAT is going to decide if this Keep is the better option. I don't know if they are going to present it like a comic in Mass Effect, but I don't really think so. Have a narrator like Morrigan or Varric with a bunch of options and you'll probably be fine. Don't know if it will go into the DLC territory for choices (like Witch Hunt), but I suppose they'll find a way.

Alternatively, if you lose your save files at some point in the future, better to have the Keep if you don't feel like going though all the games again. But still, how detailed the Keep is is the main concern here (besides the usual save transfer bugs, though more than likely minor). Overall, its a good plan provided it works really well, and you can't really fault Bioware for trying. I'm sure we'll find out eventually.

 

[kael013]

So basically It's an official in-depth savegame editor. I figured that would be the way they would go since it allows us to keep our choices and is less of a hassle than trying to get imports to work. I'm pretty sure it will be good too, the modded one I use for DA2 are pretty in-depth and the guys making this one know how all the variables and flags fit together better than the modder did (I hope).

 

[Doom972]

It would've been far better to have both options. I don't want to recall each choice each of my characters made.

I'm sure someone will release a conversion tool that takes DAO/DA2 saves and changes them into a Dragon Age Keep profile.

I like the fact that they used the naming convention for the old fan-made savegame editors for Baldur's Gate 1 & 2: Gate Keeper and Shadow Keeper.

 

[Simple Bluff]

Anders isn't a retcon. During Awakening, you already see Anders talking to Justice (the same spirit thats within him now) about the whole "possessing body" thing, as well as his curiosity about the whole process. He even shows an interest in the thought of becoming a vessel. And that's precisely what happens, either way obviously enough Justice possesses him, which either saves him and drives him nuts, or just drives him nuts.

It's been a while since I played DA2, so I admit the nuances escaped me. But I still consider it a huge retcon because the actual explanation for his non-death in game was [a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BibpNMwC4O4"]pretty much how I described it[/a], even though your explanation is much better. Justice is never even mentioned - it's just him walking away from the battle while nobody was watching. Another thing to consider is that it's possible not to recruit Anders in Awakening (you can hand him over to the templars after the first quest). Yet, if you import that scenario, he still somehow encounters Justice, and gets possessed by him. I mean, it's possible... but contrived as hell.

But I didn't know about the Ashes losing their potency; I never sided with the cultists in my playthroughs (I honestly didn't even know Leliana could die until after I completed DA2), and I certainly never heard Gaider's remark. I guess that is a lot worse.

Darn, the more I learn about DA2 the dumber it gets.

I wish there was an option to kill him outright.

I don't mean to be nitpicky either, but you can kill Anders in the final act of the game... but it's still too little too late. Would've loved to see a *****-slapping brother mechanic though. I'm just glad he's absent for most of the game.

 

[Seracen]

Love this idea! I wish more games incorporated stuff like this (like Witcher 2). The ME Motion comic DLC's were basically this idea (savegame editor with graphics and voice-over)

Sure, it isn't optimal, but it beats playing DA Origins 10 different ways, especially as I've already beaten it 3 different ways, haha.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I had this idea when they first announced that we'd be able to import saves from Mass Effect 1 to Mass Effect 2. It doesn't take a lot of brain power to figure it out. Especially since save file editors already exist. It's actually surprising that it took them this long.

 

[Cat of Doom]

Though a save import seems more personal, this is a good idea. Seeing as I played origins, DA2 and the mass effect series on my Xbox and have since moved to the glorious realms of PC gaming, I'm glad I ca just remake my story as opposed to re-buying and playing the games, making the exact same choices as before. Though after seeing mow much choices meant in ME3, there probably isn't any point of doing this anyway.

Maybe I will be more optimistic, if they confirm anders and merril are in the game, as major charactors.

 

[plugav]

They're probably only doing it because the old games won't run on new consoles, but it's a brilliant idea. I just wish it was part of the game and not a separate online service.

 

[SecondPrize]

Does anyone know if there will be an option in the keep to have all heads that have been cut off remain off? Like maybe a checkbox or something?

 

[Drejer43]

I know people are gonna be upset with this but personally I like it, instead of going back and replaying the game course i want just one thing different I can just use this. although I never actually completed either game...

 

[Kahani]

Good. Dragon Age will be 5 years old by the time Inquisition comes out. Much as I enjoyed it, it would be utterly stupid to force me to play through it multiple more times just in order to see what happens in a new game. And I certainly have no intention of ever installing Dragon Age 2 again. Whether various choices mean as much as some people seem to want (spoiler: never going to happen) rather misses the point; this is the difference between having choices that may or may not mean anything and simply not having any choices at all.

 

[Smeatza]

So I kept my save files for all these years for no reason?
Awwwwwwww.

I know the import system from DA:O to DA2 sucked but I was hoping they'd sort it out, not just get rid of it all together.

 

[Nantucket_v1legacy]

I don't really understand why people are so down and out on the original import setting. From my experience of Dragon Age 2, my saves from the previous game did not mean a whole lot to Hawke anyway. My Hawke and Warden in no way crossed paths and their stories did not mirror one another so I don't see how the import had any affect.

The other small changes I found were with Alistair and if he was a drunk, in the Wardens or the king. My previous save did not bring a whole lot in the first place.

I am hoping with both saves from one and two, and using this system, the characters we played as (Warden --if survived-- and Hawke) will appear in the third story.

I like the Dragon Age stories and would like to see everything wrapped up.
Dragon Age 2's biggest fault was the strict storyline and meaningless choices (join the mages, still have to fight the mage boss or join the templar and fight the templar boss etc etc.) and repetitive environments.

Origins was great. I still play that now. In fact, I'm on my 6th play-though now as a Noble Dwarf.

 

[Micalas]

So it is basically the comic thing PS3 Mass Effect players had to allow them to have the choices they want without playing the previous games.

Not a bad idea really, as somebody has played both Dragon Ages to the point where I cannot really enjoy them any more, it is a nice thought knowing I can set things up the way I like without playing through 40+ hours of content again.

I agree completely. When I thought my saves were gone forever I was looking to see if there was a mod that allowed me to skip the actual game and just make the choices and wrap them into a neat little importable save file. I had no luck finding such a thing though. But on the bright side, I did find a backup of my saves. And thank god for it. I also have no desire to play through the games again. They were amazing but hundreds of hours later...eh.

 

[Saelune]

They read my dream journal.

I didnt play DA2, and I never got around to "perfecting" a DA1 run. So it will be nice to hand pick how I wanted everything to go. Sorry Alistar, I love you, but its more dramatic if you died. Im gonna have to ask my brother what happened in 2 though. = .=

 

[Legion]

So it is basically the comic thing PS3 Mass Effect players had to allow them to have the choices they want without playing the previous games.

Not a bad idea really, as somebody has played both Dragon Ages to the point where I cannot really enjoy them any more, it is a nice thought knowing I can set things up the way I like without playing through 40+ hours of content again.

I agree completely. When I thought my saves were gone forever I was looking to see if there was a mod that allowed me to skip the actual game and just make the choices and wrap them into a neat little importable save file. I had no luck finding such a thing though. But on the bright side, I did find a backup of my saves. And thank god for it. I also have no desire to play through the games again. They were amazing but hundreds of hours later...eh.

I cannot speak for Dragon Age 2 save files, but there is a mod that allows you to choose the decisions from Origins to import into Dragon Age 2. Here is a link. I think the site needs an account to download it though, but they are free so it's not too bad.

Although with the Dragon Age Keep I guess it won't be needed for Inquisition players.

 

[Imre Csete]

Well, I'm not sure I can remember all my save game event flags from 2009 to 2011 across two games, but I'll try.

Meanwhile, let's hope they get their act together and make a save import feature.