Add-In/DLC Integration: Part 3

Part 3 in a series of post about DLC/Add-In integration.

Adhere to established lore
This is more a point for home modders rather than official DLC, but it's important. Maintaining coherence and consistency in an RPG is vital in keeping the player immersed in a believable gaming world. There is a delicate balance to tread in order to cover new ground while not producing something outlandish that clashes with current or future content. If you're going to writing a mod that deals extensively with the Dalish elves, make sure you've read the Codex entries on them thoroughly to ensure you understand their history, plight and beliefs. Likewise for other settings or groups.

If you're having established NPCs participate in your adventure (as per part 2 of this series), then you need to ensure that those reaction are consistent with their previously established character. Leliana, for example, should not be happy if you're denouncing the Maker or killing helpless innocents. Likewise, Morrigan will not be pleased if you start cowing before Templars or go about helping those unable to help themselves.

Perhaps the only means to break the established lore or have characters stating conjecture as fact, is if the character providing this information is intended to be an unreliable - perhaps a lunatic or zealot? By all means, make up events and new characters and stories, but reviving dead characters, making bold statements about history, culture, religion or otherwise conflicting with official content will just make your Add-In seem out of place.