The Man Known as Dan

My controversial opinion: This has been a large part of why I haven't made any real attempts to go to see Cubs games the last couple years when the money to do it. It's great for TV, but if I'm going to a game I want it to be my day, especially with how high ticket prices are. The idea of going to a game, paying multiple hundreds of dollars, only for it to end in 2 hours? Screw that. That said, my opinion is still way better then the one above mine.

For me, I’d still want some more then that, but bare bones stuff just to lead to background dialogue to make the world feel more whole. Like, who leads Ferelden and Orlais? What was the decision of what happened to the Wardens in the South, exile or still around? Did Bhelen or Horrowmont take over Orzammar? It doesn’t have to play into the game, just come up with people bringing up how the South is dealing with the events going on. That shouldn’t be hard to do, and it feels like the bare minimum required to me.

And after writing some generally positive thoughts, I am forced to bring forth some really really rough news for us long time players. IGN released an article about how your universe's story carries over. Instead of continuing the Keep in order to keep the story cohesive between games, only 3 things from previous games will be used to set up your universe: 1. Who the Inquisitor Romanced 2. Did you Disband the Inquisition 3. Did you vow to save Solas or stop him That's... it. And, uhhhh. I think that's an awful decision, personally. It was one thing when Andromeda didn't really have much carry over, because it's a game 600 years later in a different galaxy. That makes plenty of sense. Veilguard is a direct sequel to Inquisition, and they already confirmed Morrigan is in the game. How can Morrigan be in when none of the decisions made about Morrigan are relevant? They shape her characters completely. It just feels like they took away the one unique thing Dragon Age had over other universes like it in gaming was how much one game impacted the next, leading to avid diehards for the franchise. To just basically get rid of that is.... a very very bad decision imo, whether it made the writers jobs easier or not.

This has been a big problem for Dragon Age fandom for a while, and it’s usually one subset: the ones who aren’t Dragon Age fans, but are Dragon Age: Origins fans. There is a contingent online who are very very loud that are still angry this game isn’t more like Origins, and will not shut up about it, even though it’s been almost 15 years since Dragon Age 2 they still aren’t over it. Personally, still liking how things are looking, but have tempered expectations. I’ve been replaying the DA games to build up to it and it’s interesting how my perception of all 3 has changed: some elements of Origins have aged like fine wine (the dark concepts are still horrifying, the Darkspawn, especially the ones in the deep roads are still horrid, the gameplay is still fun) while others haven’t (I imagine if I said the companion dialogue in that game felt “Very Joss Weeden” when it came out I’d mean it as a compliment, but I really don’t now)

I once more once ask how that first trailer ever made it to the public. The game looks fun, the characters look good. I'm in.

Without mentioning specific spoiler, I love the final 3 from Block A.

Jesus, just to continue Inside Out 2's crazy run already: It did another 100 Million estimated in week 2. It's already 200 million ahead of any other summer movie so far in only 10 days of release. Not only is that the highest gross for an animated movie ever in it's 2nd weekend, not only is it the highest grossing 2nd weekend of any movie this decade, it also has the best hold percentage of any movie to make 150 million in it's opening weekend ever. It also has the best hold of any Pixar movie since the damn Incredibles, 20 years ago. I've been paying attention to box office stuff consistently for a bit now, and I can't think of a movie that over performed over expectations to this degree.

Absolutely huge box office opening for Inside Out 2, way higher then anyone anticipated. 155 Million opening weekend on an expected opening of 90 at the highest.

Yeah, that trailer was... a choice. It's clearly much more action RPG, almost feeling like a more well developed version of Dragon Age 2 to me, with modern graphics and characters. I'm back on board. And hey, this game is going to give the heartens something even Baldurs Gate didn't: A romancable small character.

See, here's the thing about Dragon Age: That trailer looked abysmal and I was ready to write it off. But the gameplay reveal is tomorrow, and they released just 24 seconds of it to hype it up today, and... Jesus christ, it looks good. Like, really good. Did EA just have no idea how to fucking market the game? Are they that stupid? Yes, I still struggle with linking X, but there it is.

My god. Can we please put a bullet in the back of that studios head? That was an almost insultingly bad trailer. Fuck, Harding was my favorite character from Inquisition that I was begging them to do more with, and even her being a companion doesn't move me slightly. That is an objectively horrid trailer for a Dragon Age game.

Planning to post a longer write up later, but I flew up from St. Louis for this show and it was worth every single penny I paid for the flight and ticket. I’m attending Dynasty in a couple weeks and I find it very very unlikely it will be a better show. The first half of the show was great, but that 2nd half man. It’s a damn small list of shows who can have 3 matches like Priest-Slim J, Mad Dog-Demus, and Daniel-Thatcher on one card.

Traffic around the area today is really damned rough, and made it that are missing the meet and greet. But hopefully should be on time for the show

Getting ready to board my flight in St. Louis to Philly and someone just sat down wearing a Big Japan Pro Wrestling shirt. I’d put it at 40% you are a poster here going to DEANbecause the odds of someone wearing a shirt for one of Deans favorite companies is so minor. If so, hi, the guy in the CITY jersey will see you at the show

Technically speaking not even the same country, as Sinner & Saint are from Vancouver. I've seen a lot of Austin Luke, and he is really good. Like, should be one of the breakout stars of the Northeast good. Mathers is also really solid. I've only seen one match from Williams, but it was against Makabe and it was really damned good and I came away very impressed with him. Basically, this is just a cool ass match.