153434 réponses à ce sujet

[Shari'El]

Write a poem about the Dread Wolf who fell in love? No problem. Sing a song about the Herald of Andraste and her dreadful romance? 

 

The idea of a canon song about Solas and Lavellan makes me all giddy.

[midnight tea]

Didn't Weekes want the romance in so you could see Solas as a more rounded character? Otherwise everyone would just think him a villain. They certainly achieve that, but whether they need to keep it up is what I'm concerned about.

 

As someone who romanced Zev in Origins and Thane in ME - wouldn't be the first time I've been shafted in a romance.

 

That would be something of a wasted effort. Only a portion of players play elves, a portion of that play fem!Lavellanas and only a portion of those romances Solas.

 

Not to mention it would mean that the characterization in general would've been poor (which I think we agree it isn't? Like, in general, when it comes to many interactions and banters he has with other Quizzies or NPCs), if the only thing that 'rounds character' are a few romance scenes between him and one type of Inquisitor.

[DustyTulip]

Solas, on the other hand, could be mentioned rather easily, depending on what he does in Trespasser or in the next game. Heard the new lore about the Dread Wolf's lover? Heck yeah, suddenly it's a song or poem or something similar. Or what about the Inquisitor that fell for a god? Heck, Solas himself could mention it, if he appears - which seems plausible, given the fact that he's so very important. The fact that Solas is so important limits the kind of things that can happen to Lavellan's romance, but it also makes them easier to implement, given the fact that his role is just as important as ever.

 

 

This is one of the few positive ending predictions that make A LOT of sense to me! Wow, never thought of it from this angle, but so true! There is hope yet! 

[CapricornSun]

Anyone else making any changes to their Inquisitors appearances?

 

I've already messed around with the Black Emporium and planning on giving my Tala long hair for Trespasser.

 

Spoiler

 

She definitely looks older and more mature than when she had her pixie cut.

 

Original hairstyle.

Spoiler

 

Maybe I'll even give her a scar once I get my PS4 and see the scar options. (Though if I don't like any of the scars, I probably won't give her any. )

[Shari'El]

That would be something of a wasted effort. Only a portion of players play elves, a portion of that play fem!Lavellanas and only a portion of those romances Solas.

 

Not to mention it would mean that the characterization in general would've been poor (which I think we agree it isn't? Like, in general, when it comes to many interactions and banters he has with other Quizzies or NPCs), if the only thing that 'rounds character' are a few romance scenes between him and one type of Inquisitor.

 

Well, in ME only 20% of the Shepards were female, out of them a portion romanced Garrus.

Still put a lot of effort into the romance and content and it was beautiful.

 

BioWare care about their fans.

[midnight tea]

Well, in ME only 20% of the Shepards were female, out of them a portion romanced Garrus.

Still put a lot of effort into the romance and content and it was beautiful.

 

BioWare care about their fans.

 

Yes, but I think we all agree that Solas seems to be a way more important character, both from story perspective and whatever will happen in Thedas next. He's not just a companion. Characterizing him all across the interactions or relationships Inquisitor may have is pretty crucial, and not locked to one, specific type of Quizzy.

[Oswin]

That would be something of a wasted effort. Only a portion of players play elves, a portion of that play fem!Lavellanas and only a portion of those romances Solas.

 

Not to mention it would mean that the characterization in general would've been poor (which I think we agree it isn't? Like, in general, when it comes to many interactions and banters he has with other Quizzies or NPCs), if the only thing that 'rounds character' are a few romance scenes between him and one type of Inquisitor.

 

I remember some of the threads here not long after the game came out and there was a big difference in Solas opinion based on who romanced and who didn't. A lot who didn't really hated the guy. Some of them still do and are desperately hoping they can bump him off in this DLC. They would definitely argue with you about his characterization  to them he is just a hypocrite, or is boring. I can never understand why people think he's boring. Ok, so he does like 'Dat Fade quite a bit. But come on. Dude is a walking encyclopaedia! And a God! Is that not interesting to most people? 

 

I'll need to find that Weekes comment, but I'm sure it was that he pushed for the romance so you could see Solas as more than a villain. And he made such a good argument for it that Mike couldn't say no. Which is why it ended up being just for elves. Time issues.

 

...Someone else remembers this right? I didn't dream it?

 

I do genuinely hope we get a satisfying end. I'm still not expecting hand holding into the sunset though. But, yeah, because of how my history of BW romances have gone I am going in with WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME mindset. That way I can't be too crushed...yeeeah? Ha. 

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

Didn't Weekes want the romance in so you could see Solas as a more rounded character? Otherwise everyone would just think him a villain. They certainly achieve that, but whether they need to keep it up is what I'm concerned about.

 

As someone who romanced Zev in Origins and Thane in ME - wouldn't be the first time I've been shafted in a romance.

You know, this actually worries me more. Cus you could be friends with him, regardless. If the romance was required to make him seem less a villain, then that means the friendship path will end with him seeming to be a villain, which means he does something to seem a villain...

 

Basically Weekes sounds like he's saying the romance is there to get you attached to Solas and have sympathy for the devil. Which means he's going to really BE a devil at some point...

 

Great, now I'm hellspiraling.

[Avejajed]

Solas was added as a romance because it was "sadder". Patrick's words, not mine.

[drosophila]

The Solavellan romance is probably one of the easiest to implement into future games, as long as the Inquisitor does not show up. (At least I think so.) You want to add comments for Cullen, The Iron Bull, Sera? Well, good luck finding a poor sod that knows exactly what happened to the Inquisitor and their Love Interest. This time we had Varric back, which made things easy. But aside from putting Harding into the next game, it could be quite tricky to mention the Inquisitor's lover, aside from a random NPC that just happens to have heard the latest news about Inky.

Solas, on the other hand, could be mentioned rather easily, depending on what he does in Trespasser or in the next game. Heard the new lore about the Dread Wolf's lover? Heck yeah, suddenly it's a song or poem or something similar. Or what about the Inquisitor that fell for a god? Heck, Solas himself could mention it, if he appears - which seems plausible, given the fact that he's so very important. The fact that Solas is so important limits the kind of things that can happen to Lavellan's romance, but it also makes them easier to implement, given the fact that his role is just as important as ever.

Put her in uthenera? Sure. Let Solas mention how he still regrets his lost love? Why not. Write a poem about the Dread Wolf who fell in love? No problem. Sing a song about the Herald of Andraste and her dreadful romance? No biggie. The thing is...all of those options are bittersweet at best. But then again, we don't expect anything else, do we?

I've been thinking about it along those lines. I think Solas' appearances in future games will be similar to Flemeth, he won't be on screen a lot, just making a brief appearance to nudge things in the desired direction at just the right moment.

Which makes an open-ended Solavellan ending really easy to handle.

DA4PC: You're Fen'Harel? Stories say you fell in love with the Inquisitor of old.
Solas: She is a bright spirit whose light has made this world seem more real to me than I could have ever imagined.
DA4PC: Where is she now?
Solas: She has her own duties, as I have mine.

There. Done.

[Miss This or That]

You know, this actualyl worries me more. Cus you could be friends with him, regardless. If the romance was required to make him seem less a villain, then that means the friendship path will end with him seeming to be a villain, which means he does something to seem a villain...

 

Basically Weekes sounds like he's saying the romance is there to get you attached to Solas and have sympathy for the devil. Which means he's going to really BE a devil at some point...

 

Great, now I'm hellspiraling.

 

But Solas has never been a devil. He's a rebel who believes that he has to shoulder all of the burden. He should be responsible and take the blame for all of this but the people need him. He approves whenever you help people in desperate need of help. He prefers an inquisitor that he hates over Coryfish. He downright tells you that your spirit is rare, even if you are only friends with him. Solas is a lot of things, but he's no devil - that's part of what was explained throughout the game. That the Dalish got a ton of stuff wrong and that Fen'Harel is more a rebel than a trickster. He still fucked up big time, yes, but he didn't do it because he is evil. He found himself in a world that is totally different from the one that he knew. He doesn't even really consider all of these people as 'real'. He's not evil, he just tries to restore what he thinks is right. ...that's why even a friend Inquisitor is really important to him. Because, heck, that former nobody certainly seems real enough and makes him question his believes somewhat - something that is like, tripled with a Lavellan romance, but still.

[Roxy]

I'm from Florida. And I don't hate Israel. lol

(And I'm a conservative Republican ("right wing", in other words, I suppose), but I'm not sure why you mentioned your politics??? O.o)

 

But yeah, Solas love in the Sunshine State.

 

Hey I from Alabama and I'm a Conservative too. 

 

 I love and Support Israel not just because I am a Christian but because they are our allies and they are Good people.

 

She doesn't know that much more. *shrugs*

 

Also, her word choice was weird, though that's par for the course for Ashe. I appreciate her and I love listening to her, but my inner editor's eye twitches during her broadcasts sometimes. lol

 

In other news: OMG I'm actually caught up on the thread!

 

I love listening to Ashe and watch her pt's of DA but sometimes when she does that British accent I start to cringe lol!

 

I'm like "Please stop with the british accent you're horrible at it."  And I'm American lol

Also I don't think she knows more than we do about the next DLC so I'm not going to freak out. 

[midnight tea]

I remember some of the threads here not long after the game came out and there was a big difference in Solas opinion based on who romanced and who didn't. A lot who didn't really hated the guy. Some of them still do and are desperately hoping they can bump him off in this DLC. They would definitely argue with you about his characterization  to them he is just a hypocrite, or is boring. I can never understand why people think he's boring. Ok, so he does like 'Dat Fade quite a bit. But come on. Dude is a walking encyclopaedia! And a God! Is that not interesting to most people? 

 

I didn't romance Solas in my first PT - I assume many people didn't as well, and that decision was made after they've found his character appealing in the first place. Which means those who didn't will not romance him anyway, hence the supposed overlap (add  to that the fact that we see quite a few people who romanced him to slap/punch/kill him for leaving Lavellan ;P)

 

Besides, it would be really sad if romance content was the only thing that has made him likable or sympathetic in eyes of many players. Like I said, that would indicate that writers botched his characterization beyond a few short romance scenes he got.

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

I've been thinking about it along those lines. I think Solas' appearances in future games will be similar to Flemeth, he won't be on screen a lot, just making a brief appearance to nudge things in the desired direction at just the right moment.

Which makes an open-ended Solavellan ending really easy to handle.

DA4PC: You're Fen'Harel? Stories say you fell in love with the Inquisitor of old.
Solas: She is a bright spirit whose light has made this world seem more real to me than I could have ever imagined.
DA4PC: Where is she now?
Solas: She has her own duties, as I have mine.

There. Done.

 

I'm kinda hoping Solas will be a bit more hands-on than Flemeth was. Although, I hope he does start saving us from an ogre at the beginning of each game. I liked that trend. lol

 

Wait. If Solas is the one who petrifies those Qunari around the Inquisitor in the Trespasser trailer, saving them... and qunari are the race that gives birth to ogres... and Solas has a bit of Flemythal inside him... So, in a way, we finally did get our "Flemeth saves you from an ogre" moment for DAI? o.o

[Cee]

I'm too emotionally compromised to freak out to it - I'm clinging fiercely to denial as a coping mechanism. 

 

I haven't read it. Going in without these sorts of things. Discussing with you all is enough.

 

Also, we will spear anyone who even thinks of posting unmarked/open spoilers after Tuesday.

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

But Solas has never been a devil. He's a rebel who believes that he has to shoulder all of the burden. He should be responsible and take the blame for all of this but the people need him. He approves whenever you help people in desperate need of help. He prefers an inquisitor that he hates over Coryfish. He downright tells you that your spirit is rare, even if you are only friends with him. Solas is a lot of things, but he's no devil - that's part of what was explained throughout the game. That the Dalish got a ton of stuff wrong and that Fen'Harel is more a rebel than a trickster. He still fucked up big time, yes, but he didn't do it because he is evil. He found himself in a world that is totally different from the one that he knew. He doesn't even really consider all of these people as 'real'. He's not evil, he just tries to restore what he thinks is right. ...that's why even a friend Inquisitor is really important to him. Because, heck, that former nobody certainly seems real enough and makes him question his believes somewhat - something that is like, tripled with a Lavellan romance, but still.

Oh I agree, he hasn't been a devil. I'm worried he's going to become one.  I'm afraid of what his plans are and that he really will do something intentionally that I will not be able to forgive. Take a true "ends justify the means" approach.

[drosophila]

I'm kinda hoping Solas will be a bit more hands-on than Flemeth was. Although, I hope he does start saving us from an ogre at the beginning of each game. I liked that trend. lol

 

I'd absolutely love it if he's present more than I expect, of course

[CapricornSun]

I remember some of the threads here not long after the game came out and there was a big difference in Solas opinion based on who romanced and who didn't. A lot who didn't really hated the guy. Some of them still do and are desperately hoping they can bump him off in this DLC. They would definitely argue with you about his characterization  to them he is just a hypocrite, or is boring. I can never understand why people think he's boring. Ok, so he does like 'Dat Fade quite a bit. But come on. Dude is a walking encyclopaedia! And a God! Is that not interesting to most people? 

 

I'll need to find that Weekes comment, but I'm sure it was that he pushed for the romance so you could see Solas as more than a villain. And he made such a good argument for it that Mike couldn't say no. Which is why it ended up being just for elves. Time issues.

 

...Someone else remembers this right? I didn't dream it?

 

I do genuinely hope we get a satisfying end. I'm still not expecting hand holding into the sunset though. But, yeah, because of how my history of BW romances have gone I am going in with WORST POSSIBLE OUTCOME mindset. That way I can't be too crushed...yeeeah? Ha. 

 

Here's an excerpt from the Bioware Panel in PAX South regarding the added romance for Solas.

 

http://thedreadwolfr...el-at-pax-south

 

Spoiler

Solasmancer: Um, you mentioned earlier that Cullen, you added in Cullen later as a romance option and part of that was because everyone loved Cullen.  Um, I wanted to ask why you added your other option, Solas.  Because that was a very interesting one because later events cast that at, uh, add interesting context to that whole relationship so I’m curious why you added him versus another character.
Karin Weekes: You are, like, not the first person who’s asked me that question. I know who knows the answer to that question.  You wanna talk?
[Side note: I asked her that question earlier between panels. ]
Mike Laidlaw: I’m gunna talk.
K. Weekes: Are you sure?
Laidlaw: Sure
Laidlaw: Sooo.  There are people…
[Someone]: That’s your first mistake.
Laidlaw: Who.. unless you shatter their collarbone.. cannot be stopped from writing.  And even then cannot be stopped from writing–are you texting this to Patrick?
K. Weekes: I’m calling him.
Laidlaw: Oh, okay….good.  As discussed.  We’ll see if he’s available.  So here’s the thing is that-that this–
K. Weekes: He’s probably getting pizza, but we’ll find out.
Laidlaw: Yeah, is that Mr. Weekes who is to blame, um, kind of just can’t be stopped.  Uh, he kinda declared one day that he had had an idea and had written most of it and he’s very fast and he’s pretty good and I think Karin is gonna see if he’s there.
K. Weekes: Aww that’s–
Laidlaw: Aw, too bad cause we really wanted to hold his feet to the public fire.
K. Weekes: Okay, I got his voicemail.
K. Weekes: [on phone] Hi! Guess where I am!  So some people have asked me why Solas became.. uh, how Solas became a romance option and they would, they would like to share their opinions with you right now.
[cheering]
K. Weekes: Okay, call me back if you’re home.  Ok, love you, bye!
Laidlaw: So, that’s, that’s kinda what happened. Um, he decided it would work and I decided it was pretty great and then we’d figure out if we could afford it.  And we just, we moved some stuff around and probably couldn’t’ve afforded it and there was some things and then we said ‘well what, what if it was only lady elves’.  And he said 'that’s kinda what I wrote it for’ and I said 'okay, well that was wise of you and, uh’.. because..
K. Weekes: As, as passionately emotional he is about stuff he’s really coldstone logic about stuff like that.
Laidlaw: Yeah, he is.  He’s like 'no, the only way you’d ever be able to afford is if we only did’–well the other big thing is, um, so I will, I will let you in on a secret, which, this is completely tangential and non-Solas-related, is that whenever a characters are touching, uh, and whenever, uh, if you happen to have made a game where you have four different race heights, um, you have, you have made yourself a bad time.
Laidlaw: You have made yourself a very unfortunate event.  So, I don’t know if any of you were here earlier to hear Frank Gordon talking about dancing with the duchess and, and, and ranging that from male Qunari to female dwarf, which required no less than 8 completely different sets of animations for the duchess, right.  In terms of where her hands were, um, and probably is why we shipped on two discs.
Laidlaw: Uh, not really, but, ehh.  Um, it didn’t help.  Uh, anyways, so, so there are a lot of challenges so of course part of the thing that Solas did, and I think it was, it was very effective, there is that point where he touches your face.. and I’ll just leave it there, uh, and of course that was something where because it was, um, because it was a female elf, uh, that actually helped make it more affordable.  Um, that wasn’t the only reason we went there because a lot of it only really works in that context, so, again, spoilers–
K. Weekes: Yeah, it’s just this crazy ability to go okay yeah this makes logical sense and also like marries it to that so that you can’t argue against it.
Laidlaw: And you’re like well that, wow, that’s thematic and price affordable.
Laidlaw: You’re like, he’s, he’s like a Ford Taurus: reliable, comfortable, American built.  Except for the parts we outsource from Germany.
K. Weekes: I’m debating how to an–how to rebut this.
Laidlaw: Are you a Dodge lady or something?
K. Weekes: No! 
[Someone]: She’s just thinking 'Taurus has horns’.
K. Weekes: He’s a, he’s a Taurus, actually.
Laidlaw: He is a Taurus?
K. Weekes: He is a Taurus, yeah.
Laidlaw: Oh yeah.
K. Weekes: Yeah.
Laidlaw: Cool. And sometimes he crosses rivers.
[pause…laughing]
Laidlaw: Ah, yeah, that was, that was like a time bomb.
K. Weekes: Yeah, it was good.  It was good.
Laidlaw: [muffled]
MC: Okay, we’ve reached our last question of PAX 2015.  So, yeah, there’s like no pressure on you at all.  And also make it quick.. cause we’re short on time.  So, yeah, here you go.
Some Dude: So, I was wondering when writing these characters and defining them how do you avoid traps or how do you avoid pigeonholing yourself?
[ringtone!]
K. Weekes: [on phone] Hi.  How’s it going?
Laidlaw: You’re going to have to ask again.
K. Weekes: Hi!  Good.  Some people would like to talk to you.  Okay, I’ll see if I can make speaker phone work.  Are you there?
Patrick Weekes: I am. 
K. Weekes: Hi!
[cheering]
K. Weekes: So tell us Solas became a romance and your thought processes [muffled].
P. Weekes: [laughing]
K. Weekes: Yeah, you’re laughing, no seriously I’m looking at room full of people who really wanna know this.  So stop laughing and start talking!  Please.
P. Weekes: No, I think I’m going through a tunnel!  Sorry guys!
K. Weekes: No, but like really kind of, could you a little bit?
P. Weekes: [laughing]
K. Weekes: Well, Mike did a pretty good recap.  So… but like what, what about the writing process, cause he wasn’t a romance, right?  And so what, as you were writing him, made you feel like that was, uh, part of his character that was the way you intended to go?
P. Weekes: Well, I think it would have been really easy for Solas to just come off as too much of a villain.  And I really tried to take every step that I could to humanize him.  And part of that was making him more emotionally available in that way.  Um, and showing that he really, genuinely cared about you.  Um, and the other members of the Inquisition.  Uh, it’s one of the reasons he has such a close relationship with Cole, it’s one of the reasons, uh, that he, y'know, is so respectful of Cassandra even if he disagrees with her about a lot of things and it’s one of the reasons that we decided to make him a romance.
K. Weekes: Cool.

 

EDIT: I've bolded the text that actually mattered. xD

 

But yes, Weekes is the reason we actually now have Solas as a romance option.

 

 

EDIT 2: Top Solas time!

 

Source: http://solas-an.tumb...490145/close-up

 

Dat profile. 

 

Modifié par CapricornSun, 03 septembre 2015 - 06:39 .

[Oswin]

You know, this actually worries me more. Cus you could be friends with him, regardless. If the romance was required to make him seem less a villain, then that means the friendship path will end with him seeming to be a villain, which means he does something to seem a villain...

 

Basically Weekes sounds like he's saying the romance is there to get you attached to Solas and have sympathy for the devil. Which means he's going to really BE a devil at some point...

 

Great, now I'm hellspiraling.

 

I wonder how I would have felt about Solas had I not done his romance first. I flipped out pretty hard over that after credits scene but I wasn't angry at him because I still remembered THIS DAMN FACE when he broke up with my elf.

 

 

It is so ingrained into my mind from the past games and the books that Fen'Harel is bad news though (and I had just finished TME before I played). So as soon as it was revealed that was him I did want to immediately second guess everything he had said and done in the game. The romance spared me from that. Can't say I would have done the same from a non-romance perspective.

 

Oh we so better get some Dread Wolf truth smacked down on us in Trespasser. Forget the romance  I want to know the truth behind the Trickster. Gimme that delicious lore.

 

Solas was added as a romance because it was "sadder". Patrick's words, not mine.

 

Yup. That sounds about par for the course.

And Weekes wonders why we don't trust him 

[Shari'El]

I've already messed around with the Black Emporium and gave my Tala long hair.

 

Spoiler

 

She definitely looks older and more mature than when she had her pixie cut.

 

Original hairstyle.

Spoiler

 

Maybe I'll even give her a scar once I get my PS4 and see the scar options. (Though if I don't like any of the scars, I probably won't give her any. )

 

Wow, that's a really effective transformation

[Sah291]

You know, this actually worries me more. Cus you could be friends with him, regardless. If the romance was required to make him seem less a villain, then that means the friendship path will end with him seeming to be a villain, which means he does something to seem a villain...
 
Basically Weekes sounds like he's saying the romance is there to get you attached to Solas and have sympathy for the devil. Which means he's going to really BE a devil at some point...
 
Great, now I'm hellspiraling.

Giving Cory the orb and being behind the whole mess wasn't villianous enough? Not to mention things he probably did in the past. I think maybe because we (fans) already see him as a sympathetic character it's...I dunno...easy to overlook how others view him, and his actions and worldview. It's not Anders level hate, but he does lie and oppose the PC, which always garners intense dislike.

[Shari'El]

Yes, but I think we all agree that Solas seems to be a way more important character, both from story perspective and whatever will happen in Thedas next. He's not just a companion. Characterizing him all across the interactions or relationships Inquisitor may have is pretty crucial, and not locked to one, specific type of Quizzy.

 

Of course, the romance should never ever define a companion, ever, especially when they have an entire background and a big role...

However, I don't want to think the idea of having something special done with romanced Solas is improbable, besides the fact I cling to hope like a shy child to his father's leg in a festival, I also think that because they care about their fanbase that they'll have some special content.

Maybe I'm just deluding myself though D:

[Shari'El]

I've been thinking about it along those lines. I think Solas' appearances in future games will be similar to Flemeth, he won't be on screen a lot, just making a brief appearance to nudge things in the desired direction at just the right moment.

Which makes an open-ended Solavellan ending really easy to handle.

DA4PC: You're Fen'Harel? Stories say you fell in love with the Inquisitor of old.
Solas: She is a bright spirit whose light has made this world seem more real to me than I could have ever imagined.
DA4PC: Where is she now?
Solas: She has her own duties, as I have mine.

There. Done.

 

-squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-

[Oswin]

Here's an excerpt from the Bioware Panel in PAX South regarding the added romance for Solas.

 

http://thedreadwolfr...el-at-pax-south

 

Spoiler

Solasmancer: Um, you mentioned earlier that Cullen, you added in Cullen later as a romance option and part of that was because everyone loved Cullen.  Um, I wanted to ask why you added your other option, Solas.  Because that was a very interesting one because later events cast that at, uh, add interesting context to that whole relationship so I’m curious why you added him versus another character.
Karin Weekes: You are, like, not the first person who’s asked me that question. I know who knows the answer to that question.  You wanna talk?
[Side note: I asked her that question earlier between panels. ]
Mike Laidlaw: I’m gunna talk.
K. Weekes: Are you sure?
Laidlaw: Sure
Laidlaw: Sooo.  There are people…
[Someone]: That’s your first mistake.
Laidlaw: Who.. unless you shatter their collarbone.. cannot be stopped from writing.  And even then cannot be stopped from writing–are you texting this to Patrick?
K. Weekes: I’m calling him.
Laidlaw: Oh, okay….good.  As discussed.  We’ll see if he’s available.  So here’s the thing is that-that this–
K. Weekes: He’s probably getting pizza, but we’ll find out.
Laidlaw: Yeah, is that Mr. Weekes who is to blame, um, kind of just can’t be stopped.  Uh, he kinda declared one day that he had had an idea and had written most of it and he’s very fast and he’s pretty good and I think Karin is gonna see if he’s there.
K. Weekes: Aww that’s–
Laidlaw: Aw, too bad cause we really wanted to hold his feet to the public fire.
K. Weekes: Okay, I got his voicemail.
K. Weekes: [on phone] Hi! Guess where I am!  So some people have asked me why Solas became.. uh, how Solas became a romance option and they would, they would like to share their opinions with you right now.
[cheering]
K. Weekes: Okay, call me back if you’re home.  Ok, love you, bye!
Laidlaw: So, that’s, that’s kinda what happened. Um, he decided it would work and I decided it was pretty great and then we’d figure out if we could afford it.  And we just, we moved some stuff around and probably couldn’t’ve afforded it and there was some things and then we said ‘well what, what if it was only lady elves’.  And he said 'that’s kinda what I wrote it for’ and I said 'okay, well that was wise of you and, uh’.. because..
K. Weekes: As, as passionately emotional he is about stuff he’s really coldstone logic about stuff like that.
Laidlaw: Yeah, he is.  He’s like 'no, the only way you’d ever be able to afford is if we only did’–well the other big thing is, um, so I will, I will let you in on a secret, which, this is completely tangential and non-Solas-related, is that whenever a characters are touching, uh, and whenever, uh, if you happen to have made a game where you have four different race heights, um, you have, you have made yourself a bad time.
Laidlaw: You have made yourself a very unfortunate event.  So, I don’t know if any of you were here earlier to hear Frank Gordon talking about dancing with the duchess and, and, and ranging that from male Qunari to female dwarf, which required no less than 8 completely different sets of animations for the duchess, right.  In terms of where her hands were, um, and probably is why we shipped on two discs.
Laidlaw: Uh, not really, but, ehh.  Um, it didn’t help.  Uh, anyways, so, so there are a lot of challenges so of course part of the thing that Solas did, and I think it was, it was very effective, there is that point where he touches your face.. and I’ll just leave it there, uh, and of course that was something where because it was, um, because it was a female elf, uh, that actually helped make it more affordable.  Um, that wasn’t the only reason we went there because a lot of it only really works in that context, so, again, spoilers–
K. Weekes: Yeah, it’s just this crazy ability to go okay yeah this makes logical sense and also like marries it to that so that you can’t argue against it.
Laidlaw: And you’re like well that, wow, that’s thematic and price affordable.
Laidlaw: You’re like, he’s, he’s like a Ford Taurus: reliable, comfortable, American built.  Except for the parts we outsource from Germany.
K. Weekes: I’m debating how to an–how to rebut this.
Laidlaw: Are you a Dodge lady or something?
K. Weekes: No! 
[Someone]: She’s just thinking 'Taurus has horns’.
K. Weekes: He’s a, he’s a Taurus, actually.
Laidlaw: He is a Taurus?
K. Weekes: He is a Taurus, yeah.
Laidlaw: Oh yeah.
K. Weekes: Yeah.
Laidlaw: Cool. And sometimes he crosses rivers.
[pause…laughing]
Laidlaw: Ah, yeah, that was, that was like a time bomb.
K. Weekes: Yeah, it was good.  It was good.
Laidlaw: [muffled]
MC: Okay, we’ve reached our last question of PAX 2015.  So, yeah, there’s like no pressure on you at all.  And also make it quick.. cause we’re short on time.  So, yeah, here you go.
Some Dude: So, I was wondering when writing these characters and defining them how do you avoid traps or how do you avoid pigeonholing yourself?
[ringtone!]
K. Weekes: [on phone] Hi.  How’s it going?
Laidlaw: You’re going to have to ask again.
K. Weekes: Hi!  Good.  Some people would like to talk to you.  Okay, I’ll see if I can make speaker phone work.  Are you there?
Patrick Weekes: I am. 
K. Weekes: Hi!
[cheering]
K. Weekes: So tell us Solas became a romance and your thought processes [muffled].
P. Weekes: [laughing]
K. Weekes: Yeah, you’re laughing, no seriously I’m looking at room full of people who really wanna know this.  So stop laughing and start talking!  Please.
P. Weekes: No, I think I’m going through a tunnel!  Sorry guys!
K. Weekes: No, but like really kind of, could you a little bit?
P. Weekes: [laughing]
K. Weekes: Well, Mike did a pretty good recap.  So… but like what, what about the writing process, cause he wasn’t a romance, right?  And so what, as you were writing him, made you feel like that was, uh, part of his character that was the way you intended to go?
P. Weekes: Well, I think it would have been really easy for Solas to just come off as too much of a villain.  And I really tried to take every step that I could to humanize him.  And part of that was making him more emotionally available in that way.  Um, and showing that he really, genuinely cared about you.  Um, and the other members of the Inquisition.  Uh, it’s one of the reasons he has such a close relationship with Cole, it’s one of the reasons, uh, that he, y'know, is so respectful of Cassandra even if he disagrees with her about a lot of things and it’s one of the reasons that we decided to make him a romance.
K. Weekes: Cool.

 

Didn't dream it! Huzzah! Although I forgot about the Cole and Cass bit. I guess if you took Solas around with a team he doesn't gel with then maybe you would have ended up not liking him as much. Cole, Cass and Solas were the first team I took through DA, with added romance I just had all the Solas feels. 

I have taken him with Sera and Blackwall and it didn't work too well. He also doesn't do too well, sometimes, with Dorian. Nor Viv. 

IB who leaves the Qun is good but otherwise, definitely not good 

 

I went in fully equipped for a Solas favouring playthrough in my first run. There was no stopping me 

[roselavellan]

I remember some of the threads here not long after the game came out and there was a big difference in Solas opinion based on who romanced and who didn't. A lot who didn't really hated the guy. Some of them still do and are desperately hoping they can bump him off in this DLC. They would definitely argue with you about his characterization  to them he is just a hypocrite, or is boring. I can never understand why people think he's boring. Ok, so he does like 'Dat Fade quite a bit. But come on. Dude is a walking encyclopaedia! And a God! Is that not interesting to most people? 

 

I'll need to find that Weekes comment, but I'm sure it was that he pushed for the romance so you could see Solas as more than a villain. And he made such a good argument for it that Mike couldn't say no. Which is why it ended up being just for elves. Time issues.

 

To be honest, I was really puzzled when I found out some people hated him; I thought Bioware made it fairly clear that he was a wise, kind and compassionate character. I guess these qualities don't mean anything to the people who are happy to just react negatively to his personality (which can come off as a little patronizing if he doesn't like you) and not give it a second thought. And I think the problem is that it's just too easy for these people to say "because I just hate him". (There was a thread on the DA subreddit yesterday and you can see those responses there).