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[midnight tea]

The fact that he lost his nerve has been confirmed by Patrick Weekes in NerdAppropriate interview. He literally said that Solas "chickened out" at the very last moment.

 

I agree however when Gwyvian says that Solas thought - up until some point at least - that he has everything under control and will end it when he thinks it's appropriate, but he didn't expect to grow so attached to her (neither did, IMO). It's pretty much identical to what addicts think when they fool themselves that they can stop (doing/using things they're addicted to) whenever they want to.

 

We even have an option (if we don't remove vallaslin and Lavellan is all "wait, what?") to which he responds "I'm sorry, I should have ended this long before! I've never meant to hurt you (<- panics!)" which is kinda telling.

[Janic99]

Fenris?  Fenris in the comic?

 

 

Oh.  *sulks*

 

 

I read a thing on Tumblr in which Solas is trying to think of a reasonable number of years to say and then settles on 'the Fade' because he has no idea how long a lifespan should be.

 

 

If it takes place in Tevinter there's a chance Mae will be in the game as  companion or advisor.  Or just an important NPC.

 

For me:

DAO: Elven mage does something awesome.

DA2: Mage and her elven boyfriend do something awesome.

DAI: Elven mage does something awesome.

I would just say that the reason he says that is because of the fact that he does not want to tell her. Honestly.. I mean I get what you mean but sometimes the speculations goes a bit too far in my opinion. I mean all the detailed stuff cool yes.. but I do not honestly think that it was the reason because he always uses the fade as an excuse of seeing things... If it was because he couldn't remember he would've told them his age and everything.. I mean c'mon why would he say '' IN THE FALL OF ARLATHAN '' If he would say that and knowing what happened.. well yeah... I hope you got it.. I also like to suspect things and try to find other explanations but usually they are a lot more simple 

[MayriyaNoori]

I do sometimes wonder if Solas knows his own real age at this point. I mean, he is smart enough to take all the current calendars and probably calculate it...but if you asked him his age he would probably at this point have to say something like "I'm 6500 years old, give or take a century."

 

It makes me think of this line from Cole too, which I'm pretty sure he is talking about Solas.

 

"Old pain, shadows forgotten from dreams too real. This side is slow and heavy, but here is what can change."

 

So, I guess we can kind of get that that time must pass faster in the Fade for Solas than it does in the real world. Makes me wonder if Solas experiences the real world Matrix style

 

One also realizes that Solas has dived into his dreams so deep they are real to him and that is just terrible, terrible sad.

 

*goes to cry in a corner*

[Illyria]

I would just say that the reason he says that is because of the fact that he does not want to tell her. Honestly.. I mean I get what you mean but sometimes the speculations goes a bit too far in my opinion. I mean all the detailed stuff cool yes.. but I do not honestly think that it was the reason because he always uses the fade as an excuse of seeing things... If it was because he couldn't remember he would've told them his age and everything.. I mean c'mon why would he say '' IN THE FALL OF ARLATHAN '' If he would say that and knowing what happened.. well yeah... I hope you got it.. I also like to suspect things and try to find other explanations but usually they are a lot more simple 

 

It was meant as a joke.  Sorry, should've been clearer.

[Niamaduir]

Catching up on discussion after being away from my computer most of the day yesterday, decide to open Pandora to listen to some music while reading through posts, gets A fine Frenzy- Almost Lover as the first song. Gets up to dig through my pantry for the chocolate peanut butter. Offers some to MayriyaNoori

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Nightspirit]

"Old pain, shadows forgotten from dreams too real. This side is slow and heavy, but here is what can change."

 

So, I guess we can kind of get that that time must pass faster in the Fade for Solas than it does in the real world. Makes me wonder if Solas experiences the real world Matrix style

 

Or maybe the real world seems "slow and heavy" because it feels like someone has turned up the gravity?

[midnight tea]

Or maybe the real world seems "slow and heavy" because it feels like someone has turned up the gravity?

 

Maybe not just gravity - what if being IRL turns up aging as well? Those wrinkles didn't come out of nowhere

[MayriyaNoori]

Catching up on discussion after being away from my computer most of the day yesterday, decide to open Pandora to listen to some music while reading through posts, gets A fine Frenzy- Almost Lover as the first song. Gets up to dig through my pantry for the chocolate peanut butter. Offers some to MayriyaNoori

 

Spoiler

Ma serannas, falon.

[Niamaduir]

@ MayriyaNoori- De da’rahn, 

 

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

 

For myself, I feel like his romance makes for a better overall story. I started the game romancing Cullen, got about half-way through a playthrough and was like, Cullen is sweet and all but his romance *shurg* it didn't hook me. I haven't tried to romance anyone else yet. Once I settle on a romance and a race for a Dragon Age game, it is really hard for me to deviate from it. 

[MayriyaNoori]

@ MayriyaNoori- De da’rahn, 

 

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

 

For myself, I feel like his romance makes for a better overall story. I started the game romancing Cullen, got about half-way through a playthrough and was like, Cullen is sweet and all but his romance *shurg* it didn't hook me. I haven't tried to romance anyone else yet. Once I settle on a romance and a race for a Dragon Age game, it is really hard for me to deviate from it. 

 

Well, from my character's POV it would have just made sense. I mean, the only other option she would have considered would have been Cullen....but the reality is Cullen would have been kind of scary to be around for her. I mean, he's an ex-Templar and she's a Dalish mage who has lived her whole life on that whole "Dalish mages are apostates but not really so long as they don't ****** anyone off". Not to mention being from the Free Marches. I imagine Dalish mages(and the Dalish in general) In the Free Marches retreated even further away from the eyes of humans after the whole Kirkwall scenario. Solas would have been different though. She wouldn't have been afraid of him, plus let's be real...by elf standards Solas is HOOOOOOOT. I mean really. In the game he looks taller and more muscled than the average elven man and his facial features are very "pure-high-elfy". kind of thing going on. He puts on the adorkable nerd act at first, but even to a friendly Inquisitor he quickly drops that and then all that smooth confidence comes out.

 

As a player, Solas was just by far the most interesting to me. He had all this great information to share about magic, the Fade, spirits, all that good stuff. Then add in the wit and voice. I think what truly sealed the deal was pretty early on though. That famous 'indomitable focus" flirt made me do a serious double take at my screen and that's when I was all like "Well, we're going after him!".

 

Now, I have a very hard time romancing any other character. I'm trying on another play through with a human with Cullen....but for me the game feels super hollow without the Solas romance going on. Don't get me wrong, Cullen as well as all the other romanceable characters are really great characters, just none of them add to the story the way Solas does for me.

 

Plus I feel like I'm cheating on him. Sorta, haha.

[Gwyvian]

The fact that he lost his nerve has been confirmed by Patrick Weekes in NerdAppropriate interview. He literally said that Solas "chickened out" at the very last moment.

 

I agree however when Gwyvian says that Solas thought - up until some point at least - that he has everything under control and will end it when he thinks it's appropriate, but he didn't expect to grow so attached to her (neither did, IMO). It's pretty much identical to what addicts think when they fool themselves that they can stop (doing/using things they're addicted to) whenever they want to.

 

We even have an option (if we don't remove vallaslin and Lavellan is all "wait, what?") to which he responds "I'm sorry, I should have ended this long before! I've never meant to hurt you (<- panics!)" which is kinda telling.

 

I stand corrected.

 

 

Hi there. I liked your post very much and I think you might be commenting on parts of mine 

 

I used to think along those lines too regarding "cold feet", but I changed my mind over time. I don't believe Solas is typically a coward or anything, but I think that was a really really big moment and he just....couldn't. Lavellan becoming an instrument for further estrangement from everything "real" would just be unbearable. 

 

When I consider the chain of events, I can't help but feel he went in believing he could make the relationship work. We have the Fade kiss and when we return to Skyhold, if Lavellan says something like "hey, if I misread you..." he's like "no no no...you didn't" etc..He doesn't want her to walk away. He sort of subtly pulls her back in so she stays in the convo. and eventually they agree to wait. Solas is the one to bring it back up on the balcony because I assume he's really thought it through. Lavellan has proven herself trustworthy and anyway, he's already lost by that point, right? He tells her he loves her. After that, he seems all in until Crestwood.

 

I'll add, that I don't believe he ever thought this would be a harmless infatuation. He was in love with her and I think he knew this was a real thing. As the player I even knew it from the first Fade scene. Everything between them always became so...intense...even with the humor options. 

 

My interpretation is that he had some working scenarios in his head where he believed he could stay with L. I think one of them was telling her the truth (maybe in bite size chunks) when the time was right. The mistake was putting it off and allowing things to get that far when part of the foundation of their relationship was a lie. I think if he had told her sooner it would have been easier to come clean. Just look at her animations? She has no clue what's about to hit her. Zero. He has an unfair advantage and I think he hates that he allowed that to happen. 

 

At the final moment he's looking at her and weighing his own deception and what it's going to cost. I think he just lost his nerve and told himself a story about how it would be better for both of them to just end it. I do believe he loves her and cannot face her look of fear or betrayal or enimity or agonized confusion or suffering or revulsion and see it's aimed at him. He's facing another kind of painful alienation and he'd rather do it to himself than have her do it to him. 

 

Thank you.  Though it appears that my argument can be shot down easily, haha.

 

As to the underlying emotions, though, I still would say that I think he's in over his head, i.e. he doesn't necessarily consider whether or not the relationship will work since he's just swept away with it.

 

*sigh* I really don't see the panic, regardless of what Weekes says, he simply doesn't strike me as a fawn startled by a clap of lightning in any way, sense or form. My interpretation is that he realizes that this whole thing (including his confession) is a terrible idea; I don't know if that can be counted as panicking, but it makes more sense to me that way, if I consider that he just doesn't see a way to do this without it ending very badly.

 

Well, anyway. I'll just speculate further on this in silence.

[Gwyvian]

Bahaha. Solas is too tempting not to discuss! I like my characters as I do my cakes: layered and with icing on top. Solas is just too much fun to resist talking about

 

It's true. I tried, I really did!

[midnight tea]

@ MayriyaNoori- De da’rahn, 

 

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

 

For myself, I feel like his romance makes for a better overall story. I started the game romancing Cullen, got about half-way through a playthrough and was like, Cullen is sweet and all but his romance *shurg* it didn't hook me. I haven't tried to romance anyone else yet. Once I settle on a romance and a race for a Dragon Age game, it is really hard for me to deviate from it. 

 

Additional drama, mystery and hints at what's going to happen next in DA-verse? What's not to like? To be frank, I didn't romance anyone during my first playthrough, as I wasn't just learning the game, but story as well (DAI was my first DA as well as first Bioware game), so I've left stuff like romances for more thorough PT.

But after post-epilogue bomb dropped, there was no way I wouldn't go with Solas first.

 

As for other romances - Cullen is adorkable, but I've left him for my human mage. I'm now in the middle of Iron Bull romance with my rogue, am torn between Dorian and Cassandra with my warrior and am still considering making female Qunari just for Sera.

 

 

 

Anyhoo... anyone finds it hilarious that when female Lavellan romances either Sera or Solas, they seem a tad jealous of one another?

 

(excerpts from romance banter)

 

(If Inquisitor is in a relationship with Solas):

Sera: So, you and the Lady Inquisitor. Interesting...

Solas: Your interest is not my concern.

 

-----

 

(If Sera is in a relationship with an elven Inquisitor)

Solas: I am not surprised you were drawn to the Inquisitor, Sera.

Sera: Why? You fancy her too?

Solas: I meant that it seems natural that you would desire another elf.

 

------------------

 

....Dammit fem Lavellan, not only you have the biggest romance pool available, you seem to be the most desired Inquisitor of them all

[Niamaduir]

Well, from my character's POV it would have just made sense. I mean, the only other option she would have considered would have been Cullen....but the reality is Cullen would have been kind of scary to be around for her. I mean, he's an ex-Templar and she's a Dalish mage who has lived her whole life on that whole "Dalish mages are apostates but not really so long as they don't ****** anyone off". Not to mention being from the Free Marches. I imagine Dalish mages(and the Dalish in general) In the Free Marches retreated even further away from the eyes of humans after the whole Kirkwall scenario. Solas would have been different though. She wouldn't have been afraid of him, plus let's be real...by elf standards Solas is HOOOOOOOT. I mean really. In the game he looks taller and more muscled than the average elven man and his facial features are very "pure-high-elfy". kind of thing going on. He puts on the adorkable nerd act at first, but even to a friendly Inquisitor he quickly drops that and then all that smooth confidence comes out.

 

As a player, Solas was just by far the most interesting to me. He had all this great information to share about magic, the Fade, spirits, all that good stuff. Then add in the wit and voice. I think what truly sealed the deal was pretty early on though. That famous 'indomitable focus" flirt made me do a serious double take at my screen and that's when I was all like "Well, we're going after him!".

 

Now, I have a very hard time romancing any other character. I'm trying on another play through with a human with Cullen....but for me the game feels super hollow with the Solas romance going on. Don't get me wrong, Cullen as well as all the other romanceable characters are really great characters, just none of them add to the story the way Solas does for me.

 

Plus I feel like I'm cheating on him. Sorta, haha.

 

Yeah, a lot of this is how I feel too. I find I tend to go for the romances that have an impact or are at least relevant to the game's story line. Which means my romances are Alistair, Anders, and Solas. And I 100% agree with the last bit. It's another reason I have a hard time running multiple playthroughs. 

[S.W.]

On Solas' age, I wouldn't be surprised if he had no idea. Like, if you're immortal, why would age matter after reaching adulthood? I think since we tend to associate a number of different ages with certain stages of life, certain emotional states, certain professions or expectations, that we tend to map the same thing onto fictional immortal lives - we assume that 100 years would be young for them, 500 years middle-aged, 1000 getting on a tad, etc. I don't think that's necessarily true - immortality is different from being long-lived. And we can guess from how the elven empire went down in flames that longevity and increased magical power doesn't necessitate higher wisdom or purpose. I would like to believe that once you're an adult, you're an adult.

 

I imagine time is really only useful for immortals to keep track of other people and events involving more than themselves - if your spells are years-long in the making, if you can get lost in study for so long a time, you'll probably only need a comprehension of time to fit in an important meeting or a public debate or a dinner party you can't miss, so that you don't accidentally start a ten-year long project months before a set date. Thus I imagine for Solas, being out of contact with his people likely skewed his comprehension of time. I imagine spending so long traversing the fade, which doesn't have a normal understanding of space (so likely doesn't have the same understanding of time), he's quite possibly lost track. History books, dates, and calendars, and conversation will likely tell Solas what's going on now, in the mortal world, and how those events fit together, but in relation to his own lifetime he might have no idea where the events of the past few ages sit in his own life. Had he not woken up and then thrown himself in with the Inquisition, he still might have no idea - since it may not have been important to his mission.

 

This may also partially explain why Flemeth has done relatively little over the past few centuries. Asides from being restricted by her own mortality, her isolation may have meant she is less affected or interested in the mortal conflicts, which to her perspective, she'll outlive.

 

 

In other news I finally finished ME3 the other day.

Spoiler

 

 

I have so many feels and have no idea how to voice them.

 

[Sah291]

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

Hmm. For pretty much the same reasons. It made the ending more sad, and gave my Lavellan some more character development. That was something I felt like the ending needed, a little bit of more bittersweet with the victory and a sense of loss. Because it was well written and I like the way it feels integrated into the main story. But most importantly, I'm a huge sucker for this kind of character archetype in any story.

No I haven't romanced femLavellan with anyone else yet, but I've seen them all either on YouTube or with other characters. I think I could maybe see Cullen and my femLavellan happening at some point down the road, as I did RP them as good friends, so maybe there could be some curiosity there? But not right off the bat when she joins the Inquisition, as I don't think she would have considered getting involved with a human until she knew them well. But that's just the way I chose to RP her. I'm thinking of a doing a run through with Sera, but I think that would be a very different dynamic.

[RynJ]

@ MayriyaNoori- De da’rahn, 

 

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

 

For myself, I feel like his romance makes for a better overall story. I started the game romancing Cullen, got about half-way through a playthrough and was like, Cullen is sweet and all but his romance *shurg* it didn't hook me. I haven't tried to romance anyone else yet. Once I settle on a romance and a race for a Dragon Age game, it is really hard for me to deviate from it. 

 

I was already biased towards Solas at the start, having been here for months before the game came out. But to be honest, he's the only romance that interests me at all. I have no plans on playing the other romances and no desire to either! Solas as a character is so complex and interesting to me and I tend to romance characters that catch my interest the most. So really there was no contest. Also I only plan on playing through maybe three times because this game is super long and so far it's been my first playthrough and my completionist version of that canon playthrough. Maybe I'll romance someone else eventually but my heart definitely won't be in it. 

 

I also think it makes for an overall better story, even if they don't end up happy together. My other PCs are relatively solid with their romances so having one with a not so great ending/rough patch is good just for differentiation.  Plus, Solas and Lavellan just fits beautifully with the rest of DAI in general, Jaws of Hakkon and all. Moreso than the other romance choices.

[Illyria]

In other news I finally finished ME3 the other day.

Spoiler

 

 

I have so many feels and have no idea how to voice them.

 

 

It's okay.

 

Just let it out.

[drosophila]

@ MayriyaNoori- De da’rahn, 

 

I'm curious given everything we have inferred about Solas, the relationship with Lavellan, and the possible tragic ending lingering on the horizon for us Solmancers, what is so appealing about his romance? I know the answer for myself, but I would love to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Also, have any of you romanced another LI as a femLavellan?

 

For myself, I feel like his romance makes for a better overall story. I started the game romancing Cullen, got about half-way through a playthrough and was like, Cullen is sweet and all but his romance *shurg* it didn't hook me. I haven't tried to romance anyone else yet. Once I settle on a romance and a race for a Dragon Age game, it is really hard for me to deviate from it. 

 

My first playthrough as a human mage was also my first time playing a Dragon Age game... or any RPG for that matter. My Inquisitor romanced Cullen and it was OK, but as the game progressed I became more and more interested in Solas and Cole as characters. Eventually I brought those two along everywhere. I knew there was something off about Solas, but being new to the game and not knowing much of the lore, I had no idea what. The ending was completely unexpected to me, and once I saw, of course I had to play again and romance him to gain as much information as possible.

 

I really didn't expect I would become so invested in the story, but I did, and I cried for my Lavellan for *days* after my second playthrough ended. 

 

I think I have three main reasons: 1) Everything about Solas is a mystery and a puzzle to be solved. I like science and I'm the type that can't stop thinking about a question, puzzle, or a math problem until I get the answer. Which makes waiting for a DLC and next installments such torture. 2) Except for his obsession with the past, I really agree with most of Solas' views on the world: that nothing is simply black or white, that wisdom is its own reward, that sometimes you have to do what's necessary. I find myself agreeing with almost everything that comes out of his mouth. It doesn't hurt that all his lines are so well written. 3) I can relate to his feelings of regret for mistakes long done, I emphatize with his sadness, and it reminds me of the things I regret about life. To me he's overall a very relatable character. 

[Ramification]

I stand corrected.




Thank you. Though it appears that my argument can be shot down easily, haha.

As to the underlying emotions, though, I still would say that I think he's in over his head, i.e. he doesn't necessarily consider whether or not the relationship will work since he's just swept away with it.

*sigh* I really don't see the panic, regardless of what Weekes says, he simply doesn't strike me as a fawn startled by a clap of lightning in any way, sense or form. My interpretation is that he realizes that this whole thing (including his confession) is a terrible idea; I don't know if that can be counted as panicking, but it makes more sense to me that way, if I consider that he just doesn't see a way to do this without it ending very badly.

Well, anyway. I'll just speculate further on this in silence.

When you put it like that I really see your point there. I also don't see him as the panicky type and I like your interpretation that he's in over his head without realizing. I do think it's also very likely that on the 11th hour of his big confession he realized it was a bad bad idea to even try. Where do you even start right? I'm seeing L staring at him like "Seriously? How many zeros was that babe?"

I hope you don't go back to silent speculation. Your post helped me form my own ideas more clearly. That's one of the reasons I like this forum.

[Ramification]

So, there is a trending quote that pops up on this forum that I want to politely challenge in the hopes of adding more optimism during our months of waiting.

 

I'm a game developer. I'm not trying to be a smarty-pants or an authority on games, but I want to offer some insight. Particularly, around assumptions that Solas fans will not be getting a satisfying romance DLC because "80 percent of players play a human". That quote keeps popping up as some kind of trump card and it just isn't. 

 

E.g. I worked on FarCry3, and if any of you recall the "map editor" you'll understand where I'm heading here. Not many players use the map editor, but the ones who have in the past LOVE it. I mean LOVE it and are vocal about it. No matter how overburdened the team was shipping FC3 we knew we had to ship that map editor and it had to be cool. I cannot tell you all how many times the team (in desperation) suggested putting it on the chopping block because of time, resources and relevance to the larger audience. We didn't because a vocal group LOVED it and they talked about and championed it's continuation. It didn't matter that they were in the minority. It's not alllll a numbers game guys. I know it seems like that from the outside, but players really matter! If a feature is passionately cherished by any segment (even a small one) of the audience we loathe to cut it, because it will impact the overall perception of the game. Hell, it will impact how we feel about what we delivered to our players! 

 

At my current studio it's no different. It's not uncommon that a minority of players will take to the forums to critique a change or oversight and instantly all the devs are on Reddit reading about it and problem solving ASAP.  We don't spend that much time counting how many are unhappy - we measure the overall impact of the players who are getting vocal and take it seriously. Unhappy players make us sad too. 

 

So what I'm saying is that numbers like "80% play humans" doesn't = Bioware skimping on our romance. Developers are not all about numbers guys. Believe me. They care when players care. I can give you so many more examples but I don't want my point to get lost in a block of words. 

 

Let me just admit, I joined this forum because I want that DLC and I believe that devs. have a soft spot for passionate fans of their games. Stay positive and encouragingly vocal

[midnight tea]

Plus, Solas and Lavellan just fits beautifully with the rest of DAI in general, Jaws of Hakkon and all. Moreso than the other romance choices.

 

(regarding JOH) Right? There's something poetic in the fact that last and first Inquisitors of their respective age are Dalish elves (even better if both are mages) whose significant others are mysterious Dreamers.

 

Something makes me wonder about Solas and JOH though... When we go hunting for Ameridan's memories, a lot is said (and commented) about how Dreamers who find themselves near a spirit/demon as powerful as Hakkon experience tremendous pain. According to Solas himself "Dreamers like Telana feel immeasurable pain" even.

 

Soooo.... does he just silently badass all the way through Frostback Basin if we choose to take him on this adventure   ???  Or is the fact that he himself is (as far as we know) someone powerful/ancient diminishes Hakkon's effect on him??

[drosophila]

(regarding JOH) Right? There's something poetic in the fact that last and first Inquisitors of their respective age are Dalish elves (even better if both are mages) whose significant others are mysterious Dreamers.

 

 

Given how things turned out for Telana and Ameridan, I really, really hope the symmetry ends there.

[Gwyvian]

When you put it like that I really see your point there. I also don't see him as the panicky type and I like your interpretation that he's in over his head without realizing. I do think it's also very likely that on the 11th hour of his big confession he realized it was a bad bad idea to even try. Where so you even start right? I'm seeing L staring at him like "Seriously? How many zeros was that babe?"

 

I hope you don't go back to silent speculation. Your post helped me form my own ideas more clearly. That's one of the reasons I like this forum. 

 

Thank you. Essentially this was what I was getting at, what you so nicely summarized here.

 

Don't worry, I'm very bad at being silent for long.   Well, there was a period of time when I wasn't active, but that is a thing of the past. 

[Gwyvian]

So, there is a trending quote that pops up on this forum that I want to politely challenge in the hopes of adding more optimism during our months of waiting.

 

I'm a game developer. I'm not trying to be a smarty-pants or an authority on games, but I want to offer some insight. Particularly, around assumptions that Solas fans will not be getting a satisfying romance DLC because "80 percent of players play a human". That quote keeps popping up as some kind of trump card and it just isn't. 

 

E.g. I worked on FarCry3, and if any of you recall the "map editor" you'll understand where I'm heading here. Not many players use the map editor, but the ones who have in the past LOVE it. I mean LOVE it and are vocal about it. No matter how overburdened the team was shipping FC3 we knew we had to ship that map editor and it had to be cool. I cannot tell you all how many times the team (in desperation) suggested putting it on the chopping block because of time, resources and relevance to the larger audience. We didn't because a vocal group LOVED it and they talked about and championed it's continuation. It didn't matter that they were in the minority. It's not alllll a numbers game guys. I know it seems like that from the outside, but players really matter! If a feature is passionately cherished by any segment (even a small one) of the audience we loathe to cut it, because it will impact the overall perception of the game. Hell, it will impact how we feel about what we delivered to our players! 

 

At my current studio it's no different. It's not uncommon that a minority of players will take to the forums to critique a change or oversight and instantly all the devs are on Reddit reading about it and problem solving ASAP.  We don't spend that much time counting how many are unhappy - we measure the overall impact of the players who are getting vocal and take it seriously. Unhappy players make us sad too. 

 

So what I'm saying is that numbers like "80% play humans" doesn't = Bioware skimping on our romance. Developers are not all about numbers guys. Believe me. They care when players care. I can give you so many more examples but I don't want my point to get lost in a block of words. 

 

Let me just admit, I joined this forum because I want that DLC and I believe that devs. have a soft spot for passionate fans of their games. Stay positive and encouragingly vocal

 

I agree. I'm absolutely no expert on this, not even slightly, but I've just launched a game development and while it matters a great deal that players' opinions should have a definite impact on what we're doing, what we want to say also matters a great deal - which means that regardless of whether or not we think something will be popular or not, it is our story and our message, we're trying to say something specific and if that requires certain elements, then it requires those elements and that's just that. What I mean to say is, just judging from the level of importance they placed on Solas alone, I would be very, very surprised if they didn't give us something via DLC or next installment, but yes, considering the intensity of his fans, I think team optimism is where I belong even if Solas was a minor sidekick character. (I just hope what I'm working on will see the light of day so I can back that up.   )