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yukha.bsky.social
Yukha
@yukha.bsky.social
4 followers 5 following 1 posts
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Reposted by Yukha
keyvei.bsky.social
I feel the urge to post my favorite Dragon Age art again because I added some essential details that I felt were lacking (Assan and Manfred 🥺)

Best 60 hours spent no regrets

#dragonage
Dragon Age tapestry with all the companions
November 29, 2024 at 8:38 PM
yukha.bsky.social
Que pena que acabe, me fascina leer al señor Gaider hablar sobre sus personajes y contar anécdotas al respecto.
Me encantan TODOS los personajes expuestos y cada uno de ellos fue importante en mi vida, de una u otra forma.
Diría que los echaré de menos, pero siempre estarán ahí, en juegos y novelas.
davidgaider.bsky.social David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · Nov 28
CHARACTERS - Day Nine: Cassandra

This is the last of the (major) characters I wrote during my time on Dragon Age. I could go into others, and considered moving onto Stray Gods... but I feel like fewer would be interested, and I honestly can't keep up the pace. So let's make this the last, for now.
A head and shoulders shot of Cassandra, in heavy armor, as she first appeared in DA2. I almost forgot she looked like this back then. Head and shoulders shot of Cassandra, as she appeared in Dragon Age Inquisition. The character artists did such an amazing job translating her into the new engine. A still from a DAI cutscene which includes Cassandra and the now-infamous "[DISGUSTED NOISE]" subtitle. Honestly, I just had in my head a sort of... short, derisive snort? But I didn't want to SAY "snort" in the subtitles because the LAST time I did that the voice actor literally snorted. As in snorted like a pig! Miranda read this line the first time and started laughing, she didn't know what to make of it, and laughed more when I tried to describe it. The result is now infamous.
November 28, 2024 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - Day Nine: Cassandra

This is the last of the (major) characters I wrote during my time on Dragon Age. I could go into others, and considered moving onto Stray Gods... but I feel like fewer would be interested, and I honestly can't keep up the pace. So let's make this the last, for now.
A head and shoulders shot of Cassandra, in heavy armor, as she first appeared in DA2. I almost forgot she looked like this back then. Head and shoulders shot of Cassandra, as she appeared in Dragon Age Inquisition. The character artists did such an amazing job translating her into the new engine. A still from a DAI cutscene which includes Cassandra and the now-infamous "[DISGUSTED NOISE]" subtitle. Honestly, I just had in my head a sort of... short, derisive snort? But I didn't want to SAY "snort" in the subtitles because the LAST time I did that the voice actor literally snorted. As in snorted like a pig! Miranda read this line the first time and started laughing, she didn't know what to make of it, and laughed more when I tried to describe it. The result is now infamous.
November 28, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - Day Eight: Dorian

Now this is a fun one. It's no big secret I have a lot of feelings about Dorian, not least of which because he was my first (and only) gay male companion. There's a lot more to him than that, of course (as there should be), and it was quite a trip. So let's go!
Dorian, as he appeared in-game. This was the work of U Ri So, a character artist from Korea who'd just started at the time - Dorian and Cullen were her first big tasks, and boy oh boy did she knock it out of the park. The reveal poster for Dorian, shows him casting a spell with a snowy wilderness and ruin background. I kind of love that he got the same staff here that Orsino had in DA2, which the writers referred to as "the Staff of Violation". For reasons unknown. A screenshot from one of the Dorian romance scenes, with Dorian resting his head on the player's shoulder. At the end game, I think? So cute. I think this was Sarah Hayward's cinematic work? She did such a great job, and was so committed to doing the translation of story to screen justice.
November 27, 2024 at 3:23 AM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - Day Seven: Shale

Oops! I realized I'd moved on from DAO but missed one of the companions I'd written. Which checks out, honestly, because I almost didn't write Shale and, even after I'd written her, she almost didn't happen anyhow. Then she did. Prepare yourself for... PIGEON QUEST. 🦤
A screenshot from the Stone Prisoner DLC, showing Shale in front of one of the buildings in her initial quest area. A row of pigeons, up close to the camera with HVAC system in the background. Staring with their beady little demon eyes. My eternal nightmare.
November 25, 2024 at 11:39 PM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY SIX: Fenris

Now, DA2 is a story all on its own but I'm not going to go there other than to sum it up as "we had just over a year and a half to make this". It's why I only wrote one follower, Fenris, and although it'll make his fans mad: I probably shouldn't have.

Let me explain.
In-game image of Fenris from Dragon Age 2. I'd objected strenuously to the art team's plan at changing the elves to a more "distinctive" appearance. Not that I opposed the idea in theory, but I thought they ended up looking too alien, and according to the lore elves were generally considered attractive. The art team mocked and dismissed me (quite literally, I'm afraid) and the rest of the team had bigger battles to fight. For Fenris, at least, he reached a point of being kinda sexy despite the change... so not all bad, I guess? A piece of unused concept art for Fenris: bare-chested, quilted armor on the legs, giant sword on the back. I was looking through the Fenris concept art pieces online and saw this and thought "hey, this one actually looks pretty good... if you ignore the DA2 elves-are-barefoot thing". I want to say maybe this was a piece done for the cancelled expansion, for a potential Fenris model update? A screenshot from one of the DA2 conversation scenes with Fenris, in the mansion he occupies during the game. He did a lot of drinking. I got accused, at one point, of glorifying alcoholism? I mean... I don't know if Fenris was an alcoholic, but if he was the bitterness of these scenes certainly doesn't feel like glorification to me.
November 24, 2024 at 10:07 PM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY FIVE: Zevran

I was going to skip over Zevran, honestly, as I felt like I didn't have a lot to tell in the way of stories about him... but I know he still has some (ardent) fans. Plus, on reflection, I thought maybe I DO have a few things to say. 😅

Sooo we'll see how this goes.
I keep forgetting that Zevran is an elf, honestly. My mind immediately goes to "twink". DA2 Zevran. Oh god. He doesn't even have face tattoos! As soon as they cut him and Alistair getting custom face sculpts, we probably should have cut their appearances. I still remember reviewing the DAO sex scenes with the team, and noting the gender- or race-specific variations - like this one. I blushed so hard. Keep in mind we'd never done anything like this, previously.
November 24, 2024 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY FOUR: Alistair

Ah, Alistair. Depending on who you ask, he's the adorable woobie with the biggest heart or the irritating, over-used man-child. Yes, he is indeed all of those things. Good characters have flaws to go with their virtues. Ugly spots. That is literally their humanity.
Original flavour Alistair, in DAO. Always with the eyebrow. We don't talk about DA2 Alistair. I actually really appreciate the artists took the time to give Alistair a unique appearance in DAI. Probably my favourite version of him.
November 23, 2024 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY THREE: Flemeth

I have a type. I admit it. There are certain wells I can return to repeatedly and always find something new to explore.

One of them is older female characters. Mike used to rib me about it. Consider Wynne. Meredith. Genevieve. And, of course, the biggie: Flemeth.
Ahhh the original version of Flemeth's appearance, after we'd cut her unique model. I almost forgot that this is what it looked like. Bah, it's fine. Shapeshifter, right? We'll ignore that shapeshifters don't change into other human appearances - Flemeth is special. I remember when the artists brought me the concept for DA2's revamp of Flemeth. I was in love immediately. Hair horns? God yes. I'll do whatever I need to in order to explain this, thank you. Look at that outfit. LOOK AT IT. This is where Morrigan gets it from, clearly. "Watch me serve, daughter, but know you will never do it QUITE as well!"
November 21, 2024 at 8:43 PM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY TWO: Kieran

(Technically this is an addendum to yesterday, but I make the rules here so nyah!)

Heading into DAI, I had a bite-sized problem on my hands. I knew Morrigan would feature. I also knew we were importing previous choices. So now I had to contend with: the Old God Baby. 🧵
Ah, Kieran. So dapper! I had a moment of "but what if the Warden wasn't, you know..." because he's SO white, but the artists just went "shhhh shhhh it's maaaagic" and I had to admit they were correct. This whole sequence had already stretched the limits of our resources and then some. The Old God soul is transferred! Only appears in one of the three versions, but such a magical moment. Ah, yes, the (awkwardly animated) Dark Ritual scene. Why didn't we just fade to black? Or move the camera to look at the fireplace or something? I'll never know.
November 20, 2024 at 9:47 PM
Reposted by Yukha
davidgaider.bsky.social
CHARACTERS - DAY ONE: Morrigan

Morrigan began, waaaay back, as a bit of Morgan le Fey (hence the Dark Ritual) mixed with Delirium from Sandman. The Delirium elements subsided into more of a weird cadence of speech as my idea of Morrigan solidified - more cynical, wanting to connect but unable to. 🧵
Morrigan's original appearance in DAO. I can't help but look back on this and balk at the old graphics, but at the time I was *enamoured*. The DAI version of Morrigan - so awesome. I remember pleading with the artists: "If we put her in the Orlais plot, can we give her a dress?! PLEASE PLEASE" It almost didn't happen. Some of the first art we put out for Morrigan. I remember seeing this and asking "why does she look so YOUNG?" - that's when I learned how parts of the team thought she was, like, 18. The idea persisted for some time.
November 20, 2024 at 12:43 AM