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[lynroy]

Electronic Arts ‏@EA 

Happy Valentine's Day! Which @dragonage character has your heart?

E) None of the above. Alistair 5ever. (with some Solas on the side.)

[Andraste_Reborn]

Why aren't Blackwall and Iron Bull options in this poll ? Or Sera and Solas, for that matter. Does EA have something against hot baras and/or elves?

 

My answer will always be Varric, though. (*still sobbing into cider*)

[lynroy]

Why aren't Blackwall and Iron Bull options in this poll ? Or Sera and Solas, for that matter. Does EA have something against hot baras and/or elves?

 

My answer will always be Varric, though. (*still sobbing into cider*)

My friends and I asked the same question and at the same time said, "You humans are all racist!"

[lynroy]

Origin ‏@OriginInsider 

Roses are Red. Violets are Blue. ...Should I fight this dragon or hug it? Save 33% on #DAI: http://bit.ly/1qbkuzB 

 

Dat dragon demands a hug! (Not from me, I'm allergic)

Patrick Weekes ‏@PatrickWeekes 

“User: SHRIEKING ” Inquisitor, Morrigan, and Krem!

[Hrungr]

The Art of Romance

http://www.dragonage...-art-of-romance

(Note: Some romance spoilers below...)

 

Spoiler

 

It’s that time of year again. The elfroot is in bloom, the candy prices in Val Royeaux are outrageous, and that little heart icon on the conversation wheel looks more tempting than ever. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than a chat with writers of Dragon Age: Inquisition about some of the romanceable companions who pull at our heart strings?

 

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers regarding Inquisition’s romance and personal plots. Do not read any further if you’d like to keep these plotlines a surprise.

 

[DRAGON AGE]: Where do you draw inspiration when writing a romance?

 

[SHERYL CHEE]: It really could come from anywhere and at any time. I could just be making coffee and think of something I saw the other day and go: “Hmm, wouldn’t be interesting if….”

 

[DAVID GAIDER]: Growing up, most of the fantasy and adventure stories I read had some kind of romantic element to them—not to mention many of the movies and TV shows—so even if I didn’t seek out entertainment that was specifically romantic in its theme, I was still exposed to enough that I had plenty on which to draw. I suppose I didn’t actively think about it until I began writing, however, in terms of what worked and what didn’t, or what I liked and didn’t like. Nowadays I analyze that aspect of my entertainment a lot more.

 

[LUKE KRISTJANSON]: Copout answer: everywhere. Romance isn't one thing or isolated. It's all over. Hell, most games have a love story, they just build it into "the story" and don't give the player driving the character a choice about it.

 

[SYLVIA FEKETEKUTY]: I try to figure out the feel of the romance, and the particular arc I want that slice of the story to have. It mostly comes from the companion in question. The player character is a bit of a blank slate because we let players roleplay attitudes and decisions, so I try to step back and ask what someone would find appealing about, say, the Inquisitor in the general sense, and then what the companion I’m writing would find appealing about them more specifically.

 

 

[DA]: What do you think is the most challenging part of creating romance?

 

[DG]: Trying to decide who the romance is for. Romance is something that will never be one-size-fits-all, so you begin by deciding what kind of story arc the romance is going to have and what sort of audience is going to appreciate it—and whether that fits in well with the stories the other romances in the game are telling. Tastes in romance are very individual, but at the end of the day someone has to like it or what’s the point?

 

[SF]: Making it feel like there’s real chemistry in the air. This is where I’m especially grateful for collaboration with our cinematic designers and voice actors. You can say volumes with a change of tone or a camera angle.

 

[SC]: Balancing an interesting story with something that players will still enjoy. The stories and themes that I want to explore may not be to every player’s tastes. Many of our players identify with their characters, and instead of “Blackwall lied to Trevelyan,” it’s “Blackwall lied to me.” It’s personal, and people react to that on a visceral level. That’s great on the one hand because you know they’ll be invested in the romance; on the other hand, when you do something that may hurt, it really, really hurts. And while a good arc has its share of highs for the player to cherish, you want them to still appreciate the lows, so that when they’re done, they can look back on the experience and say, “Wow, that sucked, but I still liked it.”

 

[LK]: The act of choosing to engage in "the romance" seems contrary to how big "R" Romance is classically presented: as cautionary tales of people falling in love despite themselves and then having to deal with the beautiful and scary consequences. Their lack of choice is why it's often intertwined with tragedy. Romeo and Juliet don't have an "ever after," and King Kong doesn't climb back down. That’s right: Romeo, Juliet, King Kong. There's your next Pride and Prejudice and Zombies right there.

 

Now, of course, not every romance is tragic (though many could use more giant apes). But like all stories, even the happy ones need conflict and tension. And it turns out, instead of player choice lessening the experience, it's one of the most powerful tools we have. Because the choice to engage with "the romance" infuses and bookends the whole game and gives it all the context of romance. The player essentially defines what genre the game even is. So we let them, and maybe all is well and the game becomes a tale of triumphant love. Or maybe it doesn’t work out, and now the context of everything is colored by that. And I'm writing for all variations at the same time, balancing agency with the "despite yourself" rollercoaster.

 

[DA]: Josephine’s romance has a sweet innocence to it. What was it about her character that took you down that path, Sylvia?

 

[SF]: I felt it suited her character, and what she herself wanted in a relationship. It seemed right to write a romantic arc for Josephine that was fun, and I indulged in a bit of rom-com silliness—A surprise engagement! A sudden rival!—that hopefully has a core of warmth people remember.

 

I also really wanted an over-the-top duel, because I thought that would be funny and properly melodramatic. It was in the back of my mind for a while but missing in the first draft of the romance because I wasn’t sure we could do it technically. I remember blurting out “so I want to have a duel” to David Gaider and a few other writers in the middle of some discussion, and David and the others kindly encouraged me to go for it. It was a lot of work for our cinematics team (thanks Richard) but I think they pulled it off incredibly well.

 

 

[DA]: Are Josephine’s parents still scouring Antiva for another suitor, or do you think closing the Breach and saving Thedas was enough to satisfy them?

 

[SF]: Josephine would have to take the Inquisitor home for dinner before they could be sure.

 

[DA]: Blackwall is conflicted, but persistence is the key to winning his heart. How much did being a Grey Warden complicate writing his romance, Sheryl?

 

[SC]: It didn’t, because he isn’t one. He’s lying about that, and the lie was what made the idea of him being a romance appealing to me in the first place. One of the biggest themes of Inquisition is identity—the masks we wear. Wearing them for so long they become real. Here’s a man who started off pretending to be something, and still thinks he’s pretending. Blackwall (or Rainier, to be exact) doesn’t think he’s a good person. But here’s also a woman who believes and trusts that he is. Blackwall wants to be the person that she sees, but realizes that for him to be that person, he has to lose her. 

 

The lie made the pacing of the romance complicated, because it needed to start early so the reveal had enough impact when it came. In some ways, it proceeds in reverse. To me, the final scene on the balcony marks a beginning, not an end.

 

 

[DA]: He’s rugged, has a manly beard, and can carve griffons. There’s something alluring about that. Does a character’s design ever impact your approach to the romance?

 

[SC]: I remember walking past one of the art walls we have around the office and seeing a new concept of Blackwall in this fantastic golden armor. The artist gave him a cigar. I stopped, and I stared, and I thought to myself: “This works. This is amazing, and it just fits. I can work with this.” It didn’t affect his romance directly, but I kept that image in my head as I was writing.

 

[DA]: David, Cassandra is tough-as-dragonscale, and her no-nonsense attitude serves her well in the Inquisition. However, we learn that there’s much more to her than that. How did you go about unearthing her romantic side?

 

[DG]: The thing about Cassandra, when I first began writing her, is that I thought it would be very easy for someone who is very pious and even righteous to ultimately be unlikeable. So I had to consider what it would take to give her an additional layer that complimented rather than conflicted with the rest of her character, yet still made her appealing—not only to those who intended to romance her, but to those who wanted to befriend her. A softer side that didn’t make her unrealistically soft, in other words. It involved a lot of discussion with the rest of the writing team to figure out what kinds of romantic stories would work for her.

 

 

[DA]: What do you think it is about Varric’s Swords & Shields series that enthralls Cassandra?

 

[DG]: Cassandra is an idealist, and that extends to her romantic side as well. She explains this in-game, when the player expresses incredulity that she could be a fan of Varric’s books. Romance isn’t just about characters kissing. It’s about passion. It’s about making your heart race. It’s about being swept off your feet. Maybe these aren’t things that happen every day, but that’s part of what being a romantic is about. You hold out for the ideal. You won’t settle for less. Varric’s books make real the thoughts she holds in her heart.

 

[DA]: Luke, let’s talk about Sera. She seems to value friendship above all else. What is it about the Inquisitor that makes her want something more?

 

[LK]: By various turns of nature and nurture, Sera is out of phase with the factions that could have been her comfort. In her experience, they don't want what she is, they want her to be what she "should" be, because that's more important than what she feels or how she taught herself to find strength. So she's ready for that. She has arrows.

 

But then along comes your Inquisitor, and she's different. And Sera joins because your character is a window into things she has questions about. But maybe you also make the Inquisitor fun and stick it to people who deserve it, and maybe there's still fighting but it's about new things and she likes new. But what knocks Sera for a loop is when it turns out the Inquisitor needs her; when (perhaps despite yourself) your Inquisitor essentially joins her, and Sera realizes how much she needs that. And that's not nothing.

 

 

[DA]: Given Sera’s mischievous nature, is there any risk of the Inquisitor’s breeches winding up on a flagpole at Skyhold?

 

[LK]: If Sera is really a match for your Inquisitor, the plan would have been for you to distract the advisors so Sera could hang Cullen's breeches, but Sera hangs your Inquisitor's instead because she likes thinking about the Inquisitor better. And then there is chasing and yelling that is actually laughter.

 

[DA]: How would you describe Sera's romance in a nutshell?

 

[LK]: Everything is complicated. Sera is fighting to keep it simple, and maybe (during breaks from solving every problem ever) the Inquisitor needs that too. Together, in their own just-as-complicated way.

 

Sera doesn't fit the tone of every Inquisitor. She isn't meant to. But the ones she does? "Optional" my foot. She's vital.

 

[DA]: Circling back around to you, David. Dorian is a bit of a flirt, even in the face of a demon attack. Did he ever desire a more meaningful relationship while in Tevinter, or was it something specific about the Inquisitor?

 

[DG]: If Dorian held out hope that a meaningful relationship was possible for someone like himself, he quashed it long before as something that was unrealistic. The Inquisitor coming along means that Dorian is forced to re-examine his preconceptions and perhaps tread on new and untested ground, romantically speaking. It’s the point at which he and the player have to decide if there’s something deeper to what’s between them, and what that might mean for them both.

 

 

[DA]: Was it difficult for Dorian to have a serious discussion about love with the Inquisitor? We have to imagine he was fighting off one or two snarky quips.

 

[DG]: No, I don’t think that’s the point when Dorian would be snarky. His quips are a bit of a defense mechanism, so you’re not going to see him cracking wise during that conversation unless he feels he needs to bring his guard back up. Until that point, we see Dorian at his most sincere, mainly because he’s torn between what he sees as an impossible situation and his hope for the unattainable.

 

[DA]: Looking back on these romances now, what would you say you’re most proud of?

 

[SF]: Whenever people enjoy it! In the end that’s what you hope for, and it’s nice when you see someone played that part of the story and grew a bit fonder of the character as a result.

 

[SC]: You can be nasty to Blackwall after the reveal. Really nasty. You can tell him you never loved him. You can call him names. He absolutely deserves it. What’s better, he believes he deserves it so he’ll actually approve of you being mean. Brianne (Battye) says it’s her favorite approval change in the game.

 

[DG]: I’m proud that so many people found a friend in Cassandra—whether or not it then grew into a romance. I think a lot of people who saw her in Dragon Age II went into Inquisition assuming she would be someone they disliked.

 

[DA]: And Dorian?

 

[DG]: That so many straight male players not only liked him enough to romance him in-game but were comfortable enough to talk about it. Dorian’s the kind of character who could potentially have been very niche—having meaning to a small sub-section of the player base and only them—but it was gratifying to see his appeal go beyond that. You always wonder if that’s possible, and it’s great to see evidence of it.

[lynroy]

^^^As regards above post

David Hulegaard ‏@HulegaardBooks 

This was a really fun one to write. Happy Valentine's Day, my friends. http://www.dragonage...rt-of-romance … #DAI
 

(romance spoilers as warned in article)

[Hrungr]

Mike Laidlaw retweeted

User

We found a ton of fantastic @dragonage cosplayers, we love you, Bioware! @Mike_Laidlaw @PatrickWeekes @BioMarkDarrah

 

[Hrungr]

Mike Laidlaw retweeted

User

@Mike_Laidlaw this is my V-Day I hope you enjoy yours

 

[Hrungr]

Dragon Age ‏@dragonage

Love is in the air! Well, and dragons, but let's focus on love since it's Valentine's Day. http://bit.ly/1MmibYS 

 

[katerinafm]

Aw, why don't they talk about Iron Bull's romance too? I would have loved to get some more insight on the thought process of writing him and his romance.

[Jawzzus]

I wonder if this is regarding the book outline he mentioned the other day? I realize the second WoT book arrives in May, but I would love to know if either David, Patrick, or Liane, are planning any future books for the DA franchise.

 

Patrick just finished his first outline for the sequel to Palace Job, so I don't think he will be writing the next DA book

[lynroy]

Allegra Clark ‏@SimplyAllegra 

A special Valentine's message for all the Josiemancers out there! I hope everyone has a wonderful day… http://instagram.com.../p/zGNh7nBqhd/ 

[bondari reloads.]

Aw, why don't they talk about Iron Bull Solas's romance too? I would have loved to get some more insight on the thought process of writing him and his romance.

 

Fixed.

 

To be honest, I'm stuck on my first pt as a male Qunari still, but being on tumblr I've gotten a taste of a certain 'eggstatic' fandom and it wasn't pretty; that's all I'm going to say 

[katerinafm]

Fixed.

 

To be honest, I'm stuck on my first pt as a male Qunari still, but being on tumblr I've gotten a taste of a certain 'eggstatic' fandom and it wasn't pretty; that's all I'm going to say 

 

Oi! D< How about a post with the rest of the romances in general then?

[Ilidan_DA]

Dragon Age @dragonage

Fall in love with an epic adventure! http://bit.ly/1FbHGdw  #DAI

 

[bondari reloads.]

Seems appropriate. ^{Since it's probably a demand of the Qun anyway ... I think}

 

Oi! D< How about a post with the rest of the romances in general then?

[Al Foley]

 

Electronic Arts ‏@EA 

Happy Valentine's Day! Which @dragonage character has your heart?

E) None of the above. Alistair 5ever. (with some Solas on the side.)

 

Anyone who knows me should know my answer.

[TheJediSaint]

Why couldn't they have Cassandra riding shirtless on a horse?

[TheJediSaint]

This amuses me more than it should.

I'm am nothing if not a fount of questionable humor.

[snackrat]

Where does that shot of Cullen even COME from? The others are shots from promo material. They seriously posed the model for a shot of--

--you don't suppose this is from a DLC or something, do you...?

 

....na. Most likely just something a member worked on in their own time, and/or they had no time to make ones for the others. Still, once can dream.

[DragonKingReborn]

Where does that shot of Cullen even COME from? The others are shots from promo material. They seriously posed the model for a shot of--
--you don't suppose this is from a DLC or something, do you...?
 
....na. Most likely just something a member worked on in their own time, and/or they had no time to make ones for the others. Still, once can dream.

It was a video they did for some game of the year award ceremony. Varric and Cassandra were talking to the audience and knew they were in a game and Cullen rode by on the horse without his shirt.

[snackrat]

It was a video they did for some game of the year award ceremony. Varric and Cassandra were talking to the audience and knew they were in a game and Cullen rode by on the horse without his shirt.

 

I remember when DA was nominated, Varric was plugging his book. "Why do you think people play our games?" "For our view of... faith... and..." as Cullen struts shirtless in the background.

But that took place at the Skyhold throne, no horse.

[DragonKingReborn]

I remember when DA was nominated, Varric was plugging his book. "Why do you think people play our games?" "For our view of... faith... and..." as Cullen struts shirtless in the background.
But that took place at the Skyhold throne, no horse.

Hmm..good point. No clue, then.

[Dio Demon]

Where does that shot of Cullen even COME from? The others are shots from promo material. They seriously posed the model for a shot of--

--you don't suppose this is from a DLC or something, do you...?

 

....na. Most likely just something a member worked on in their own time, and/or they had no time to make ones for the others. Still, once can dream.

It was a parody of an ad.

 

 

This one.

 

Cullen uses Lyrium Spice, that's the reason why woman want Cullen, men want Cullen and men want to be Cullen.