Latest Posts by wynthro - Page 7
andreas
Image description by @anistarrose: digital art of Andreas Maler from Pentiment, as he appears in the first act. He's seated with his hands on his knees, and with a slight smile. The background is zoomed-in on a manuscript, featuring an illustration of a cow in a field, and some cut-off Latin text. End description.
What shocked me about Pentiment is that it soon becomes very clear you're not here to solve the murder. You're not here to speak the truth. The system is inherently unjust and you're here to find evidence to condemn someone.
Even if the person is guilty, do they deserve death and damnation (they're Christians they believe in that kind of things) for what they've done? The game don't give you the time to investigate everything. Do you choose to investigate someone further because they seem guilty, or because you WANT them to be?
Most detective games won't let you move on until you find the right culprit, and you're delivering justice. The world will be illuminated by the truth. But most detective game don't make you watch the public execution.
does every1 know about how every font in Pentiment was custom-made for the game and different characters speak in different fonts depending on their standing in society. theres no voice acting but theres a pen-scratching sound that accompanies dialogue. peasants/townsfolk speak in a handwritten script. the monks all speak in intricate blackletter script. the town printmaker's dialogue has its own font and makes a clunking sound like wood blocks or a printing press. Sometimes someones font will change mid dialogue as you learn about them and their life. the dialogue writes itself out and looks like wet ink for a second before setting into dry. there are even intentional imperfections. sometimes there will be typos that sit there for a sec before being scratched out and corrected. the ink visibly bleeds a little bit where the correction was made. did you know this
"Art is illusion, storytelling, but in their most sublime form, these images form a path to truth." -- Father Piero
I have yet to finish this game, but the storytelling absolutely captivates me. I think it also endears to me that we are taken along this journey through the lens of an artist, a consequential journey that spans decades. A sort of legacy seen through the vibrant colors of the medieval world.
Special thanks to @emp-roar who dragged me along for the ride as I translate the german contents directly for her (even when I do not need to hahaha)
I love how in pentiment you can have the most vile, nasty, rude squabble with someone, and then the conversation ends with “May the lord bless you and protect you, Andreas maler” but you know they’re hoping an anvil falls out of an eighteenth story window and squishes you flat like in loony tunes
hes the lieutenants’ last resort in a difficult boss battle. dry bowser wont know what hit him
i’m obsessed with the mum from ponyo. driving single lane on a cliff edge? drift those turns in your nissan cube. husband has to work an extra shift? tell him to fuck off in morse code. pet fish turned into a child on your driveway? adopt her. town drowned in a tsunami? leave your 5 year old in charge, he’s the man of the house now
Veilguard fails to realise that for those who believe, faith is stronger than anything, even facts.
Right in the beginning of Veilguard all the Dalish/veil jumpers are so nonchalant and against their gods returning, as if they were convinced offscreen that their whole faith was based on a lie (even though they all still wear vallaslin) and their gods were Evil™. This, again, fails to consider that the vast majority of the Dalish would either not believe or not care because it's their religion, their faith.
Morally ambiguous gods exist in real life religions too and it didn't stop people from believing in them. Divine morality transcends mortal understanding, so their actions are always rightful. This also leads to the concept of a 'god-fearing' person - even the term used (θεοσεβής) can mean both respect and fear. Mortals are humbled by the gods' power and greatness, and willfully submit to their divine authority.
You needn't go further than the goddamn Bible itself to see countless examples of unethical things that God did/supported including legitimization of slavery and punishment (Exodus 21:20-21 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property." is one unhinged example), cannibalism, many kinds of violence, war, and of course, genocide, one of which was literally the deliberate destruction of nearly all humanity and living creatures on earth. The god of the most widely practiced religion in the world for millenia. Ask a devout Christian if they would stop believing in God just because 'um actually he is bad'.
Mystery is also a great aspect of religion, which also makes it an excellent worldbuilding element for writers. Mystery adds to the immersion because just like the characters, we don’t know everything except the beliefs and unanswered questions. And we're not supposed to, because this is how religion works in real life, where faith is about belief rather than what’s fully understood. It makes the story feel more real and engaging. Professional writers - of a AAA title no less - should know this.
Religion was one of the greatest themes in all previous games, especially Andrastianism and the Elven pantheon. Reducing it all to 'the Evanuris did it' is disappointing to say the least, and even if it was the truth that only the writers knew, they should have kept it that way, or at least some of the mystery. It adds immersion, drama, nuance, it encourages thought and discussion. For all Veilguard failed in the 'show, don't tell' rule, in this case this is too much exposure, and not even done in a good way. ''Religion is fake, so now everyone's atheist or unfazed. Oh, except for one (1) person who is mildly upset'' is not how faith works, especially in a setting so religious as Thedas.
"what drugs were they on when they made this" says the most uncreative person in the world
