153429 réponses à ce sujet

[drosophila]

It is a thing of pure beauty.

 

It's not the ending we deserve, but the ending we need.

 

What have we done to not deserve it? 

[Illyria]

What have we done to not deserve it? 

 

Because we're Solas trash.

[drosophila]

Because we're Solas trash.

 

True 

[Illyria]

There's a 'dear Fen'Harel' thread.  Anyone want to help spread the egg love?

[Ellawynn]

Ahhhhh. Well. I haven't read all of her work, only bits and pieces. So I don't know why there's a fuss... and I'm kind of walking in on half a conversation here. So if I've missed the point please forgive me!

I will say that, from my perspective, critisizing someone's work behind their back is very much like. Hm. Like Aunties gossiping. Does that make sense? There's no benefit to it except enjoying being critical. I know you've explained that you enjoy a good debate, and I'm not saying you don't bring excellent points up... but I don't think taking a magnifying glass to an amateur writer's work is the best use of your talent. Or at least, not when the writer in question isn't looking for C&C. Instead, I'd try to help people who actually are looking for feedback... and discuss it with them one on one. A critical eye is a very useful thing to have around.

 

I mean... I'd like to help but I'm getting the impression that critical opinions aren't... really welcome here? If people are feeling put down over a critique of someone else's writing...

 

I mean, it's fine, but I don't see the point to putting in the effort if I'm just... annoying people.

 

*Shrug*

[drosophila]

I mean... I'd like to help but I'm getting the impression that critical opinions aren't... really welcome here? If people are feeling put down over a critique of someone else's writing...

 

I mean, it's fine, but I don't see the point to putting in the effort if I'm just... annoying people.

 

*Shrug*

 

Criticise me. As much as you want. I won't be annoyed, I promise.

 

I reckon a bunch of other people on the thread will have a similar attitude. We're trying to learn. 

[Elessara]

Criticise me. As much as you want. I won't be annoyed, I promise.

 

I reckon a bunch of other people on the thread will have a similar attitude. We're trying to learn. 

 

Well, if you insist ...

 

You're short, your bellybutton sticks out too far, and you're a terrible burden on your poor mother.

 

(Ghostbusters 2 reference btw, not my actual feelings about you).

[drosophila]

Well, if you insist ...

 

You're short, your bellybutton sticks out too far, and you're a terrible burden on your poor mother.

 

(Ghostbusters 2 reference btw, not my actual feelings about you).

 

This is spot on except for the bellybutton. I have an innie bellybutton

[gottaloveme]

Sorry if this has been asked before - but how much do you lose out of Solas' romance if you keep the mages under chantry control. The thing is I want Cass for Divine this pt but am also romancing the Sol-man. Any ideas?

[Raeona]

I mean... I'd like to help but I'm getting the impression that critical opinions aren't... really welcome here? If people are feeling put down over a critique of someone else's writing...

 

I mean, it's fine, but I don't see the point to putting in the effort if I'm just... annoying people.

 

*Shrug*

 

Wait, wait, you're interested in giving thoughtful critiques on fanfiction?

 

...would it be poor form to dump half a library of my badly written nonsense on you? Because I love constructive criticism and it is hard to come by. You can critique the living daylights out of my writing any day of the week, is what I'm saying.

[Elessara]

Sorry if this has been asked before - but how much do you lose out of Solas' romance if you keep the mages under chantry control. The thing is I want Cass for Divine this pt but am also romancing the Sol-man. Any ideas?

 

You can take some hits on the major decisions as long as you keep him with you while you help people out in the Hinterlands and get the ancient elven artifacts and are nice to Cole.

 

On another note with the artifacts ... I do love his random comments when we're near one.  In the Solasan Temple (old elven temple full of elven magic) and my char is an elven mage and Solas says, "I sense elven magic nearby."  I seriously wanted to say, OH MAI GAWD RLY?!

[Illyria]

Sorry if this has been asked before - but how much do you lose out of Solas' romance if you keep the mages under chantry control. The thing is I want Cass for Divine this pt but am also romancing the Sol-man. Any ideas?

 

You should be able to have free mages (assuming that's what you want) and have Cass for Divine.  Make sure to encourage Cass and do her war table operation.  You may need to exile the Wardens and support Gaspard, though (mage conscription only gives +1 Divine point in the election.  Her other major quest choices are much more important.)

 

http://dragonage.wik...Divine_election

[Elessara]

You should be able to have free mages (assuming that's what you want) and have Cass for Divine.  Make sure to encourage Cass and do her war table operation.  You may need to exile the Wardens and support Gaspard, though (mage conscription only gives +1 Divine point in the election.  Her other major quest choices are much more important.)

 

http://dragonage.wik...Divine_election

 

Hmm, on my first playthrough I had Cass as Divine and I kept the Wardens and forced Briala, Gaspard and Celene to work together.  I think I even have a playthrough with Cass as Divine where I kept the Wardens and reconciled Celene and Briala.  Although in both of those I did encourage her in dialogue and at the wartable.  Both of those had free mages as well.  

 

Edit:  I'm wrong .. on the one where I kept the Wardens and reconciled Celene and Briala, I chose to go to the Templars although I did conscript them.

[Illyria]

You can take some hits on the major decisions as long as you keep him with you while you help people out in the Hinterlands and get the ancient elven artifacts and are nice to Cole.

 

On another note with the artifacts ... I do love his random comments when we're near one.  In the Solasan Temple (old elven temple full of elven magic) and my char is an elven mage and Solas says, "I sense elven magic nearby."  I seriously wanted to say, OH MAI GAWD RLY?!

 

'I sense elven magic nearby' he says, to his elven mage girlfriend as she summons the spirit blade she forged using ancient elven techniques.

[Sable Rhapsody]

*walks into Solas thread*

*drops ninja Dorian feels*

 

Grad AU time!

 

Spoiler

Dorian glared at his alarm clock, which stubbornly refused to move closer toward noon.   He shoved his chair back from the computer, leaped to his feet, and started hurling a month's laundry into his hamper like a man possessed.  He spared a second to glance at Solas, who had appeared in his doorway at the commotion.

 

"You could help me," said Dorian, flinging a mismatched pair of socks over his shoulder.  They landed on his stack of textbooks from last term.

 

"I am not your elven serving man," said Solas, folding his arms across his chest.  "I wanted to make sure we wouldn't lose our security deposit because of you."

 

Dorian straightened, still clutching a pair of boxer briefs.  If Solas wasn't going to make himself useful, maybe he'd be good for a laugh.  "My Beginner's Elvhen Lexicon has gone missing," he said pointedly.  "I suppose gremlins made off with it?"

 

Solas didn't even have the good grace to look abashed.  "Two years of dust covered that book.  I didn't think you would miss it."

 

Dorian switched tactics on a dime. "And your outfit!  Maker's breath, you've finally learned how to use lint rollers and ironing boards!"

 

Solas narrowed his eyes.  He wore a red sweater vest over a white button-up shirt, and his usually rumpled dress pants were clean and crisply pressed.  Though it seemed like nothing in this world or any other would get the man to wear proper shoes; his ragged leather sandals peeked out under the hem of his pants.

 

"I'm scheduling oral qualification exams with my committee," said Solas.  

 

"Oh?  And you're not absconding to the coffee shop afterward with my book?"

 

Solas scowled, turned on his heel, and hurried down the stairs.  He distinctly heard Solas muttering a curse in elvhen before the door shut behind him.  Dorian shook his head; at least "wolf dick" sounded better in elvhen than in common.

 

When he'd settled himself back down at his computer, a single new alert floated over his inbox.

 

He jumped to his feet and slammed his bedroom door shut.  The clock read 12:02.  How had the time flown so quickly while he was teasing Solas?  Dorian unceremoniously swept a pile of clutter off his desk, set the laptop down in the very center, and hovered over his email.  Now that it was finally here, the long-awaited answer, he almost didn't want to know.  Solas had told him that people could fail their quals so badly they were expelled from the program.  And he knew his stick-in-the-mud housemate wouldn't lie over something like that--

 

"...vishante kaffas!"  He clicked the email and narrowed his eyes to slits, as though the screen were about to spit poison at him, then slowly opened them again.

 

Written qualification score for Dorian Pavus:

 

PASS from 5 committee members, FAIL from 0 committee members.

 

Please do not respond to this email.  For queries about your score and feedback on individual questions, please contact your committee members directly.  The Graduate History Program congratulates you, and reminds you to schedule oral qualification exams within one year of completing written exams.

 

Literally two seconds later, his phone buzzed.  He looked down to see a single smiley face from Solas, and all of his earlier ire at his housemate vanished.  If Solas had still been standing in the doorway, he could have hugged the bastard.

 

drinks on me tonight, he typed back. bring your lovely friend!

 

He hastily texted Vivienne, Bram and the rest of their cohort, and for good measure threw in the huge qunari he'd met at the bar before exams.  The guy might not remember who he was, but anyone worth Dorian's time wouldn't turn down a party.  As he scrolled down the list of contacts, he stopped at Felix, and some of the giddy elation seemed to escape him like air from a balloon.

 

He and Felix had celebrated everything together since they were children.  Birthdays.  Holidays.  Their acceptance letters to the Minrathous Academy of Liberal Arts.  The first time each of them got laid.  Dorian smiled wistfully at his friend's name, then turned to his computer on a whim.  A little green speech bubble blinked next to Felix's name, and he clicked the video chat option, waiting with bated breath as his computer beeped.

 

But it wasn't Felix who answered.  The connection between Orlais and Tevinter was sometimes spotty, but even blurry pixels couldn't hide the man at the other end.

 

"Congratulations, Dorian," said Alexius.

 

Dorian froze.  He wanted to slam the lid shut, leave, do anything to escape his suddenly too-small room, but his hands didn't seem to be under his control any more.  So he sat there, silent, staring back at the man who had all but driven him out of Minrathous.

 

"I'm sorry," said Alexius, folding his hands in front of him.  "You were expecting Felix.  But I wanted to talk to you, so I answered."

 

The sheer presumption after two goddamn years of silence snapped Dorian back to his senses.  "Did you?" he demanded, anger rising like bile in his throat.  He should have left it there.  Should have made his excuses, or just shut off the video chat.  But once he'd opened his mouth, he couldn't stem the tide of bitterness that poured out of him.

 

"What a shame that your heretic student actually made it in Orlais.  Did any of the other faculty get you consolation gifts?  A taxidermy hamster from Dr. Erimond?  Or perhaps some nice china from the dean?"

 

Alexius didn't even blink.  He kept going as though Dorian hadn't said anything at all.  "Felix asked me to talk to you months ago.  The fault is mine...for not listening to him."

 

"You were always deaf to any sense from me," Dorian shot back.  He could feel his hands balling into fists.  "Why should your own son be any different?"

 

Now anger flashed in Alexius's eyes.  His former mentor took a deep breath, shaking his head.  "I am trying to extend an olive branch."

 

"It's a long way between here and Minrathous.  I hope that's some olive branch."

 

"For the Maker's sake, don't be a child, Dorian--"

 

He slammed the laptop shut, and his speakers screeched in protest before the room went completely silent.

 

Don't be a child.  Felix was wrong.  Nothing had changed.  It was the same argument they'd had just before Dorian left.  Walk the safe road.  Don't challenge the academic status quo.  Don't ruffle feathers in Minrathous.  Don't ****** all over faculty who made better sycophants than scholars.  How had Alexius become such a damnable coward?  Dorian dropped his head into his shaking hands, trying to steady himself.

 

His phone started buzzing again with a flood of congratulations from fellow students and friends.  But the achievement felt hollow.  He sat there as the seconds turned into unending minutes, until he heard Vivienne's distinctive rap at his door.

 

"Darling, I know you're in there," she said.  "Why aren't you singing your accomplishments to anyone who will listen?"

 

"I'm a terrible singer," he called back, trying to sound as normal as possible.

 

"You should learn before this evening.  Bram suggested a karaoke bar, though it is your party."

 

When he didn't answer, Vivienne just opened the door and walked into his disaster of a room.  Dorian was suddenly struck by the thought that she was the only person in the world who could look concerned and revolted while still smiling.  "My dear--" she began, but Dorian wasn't in the mood for it.

 

"Let's get a head start on drinking," he said, planting a smile on his face to match hers.  "Solas left us some of that dessert wine, and I'll need it if I'm to do karaoke." 

 

Ugh, this is probably an incoherent mess.  But I said I'd barf text without picking over it, and I'm sticking to that! 

[Sable Rhapsody]

Wow, also just realized two things.

 

1) There's an anonymous ferret lurking in the Grad AU Google Doc.  *waves at ferret*

2) These barf posts have more than doubled in average length, and I didn't even notice.  Would it be easier for you guys to read if I scaled back?  I know long text posts can be a pain on mobile.

[Ellawynn]

Wait, wait, you're interested in giving thoughtful critiques on fanfiction?

 

...would it be poor form to dump half a library of my badly written nonsense on you? Because I love constructive criticism and it is hard to come by. You can critique the living daylights out of my writing any day of the week, is what I'm saying.

 

I mean... maybe? *Further shrugging* My schedule's kind of... not hectic, but pretty unpredictable, so...

 

...This actually reminds me that I have a few essays to critique right now...

 

Eh. Nap first.

[drosophila]

*walks into Solas thread*

*drops ninja Dorian feels*

 

Grad AU time!

 

Spoiler

Dorian glared at his alarm clock, which stubbornly refused to move closer toward noon.   He shoved his chair back from the computer, leaped to his feet, and started hurling a month's laundry into his hamper like a man possessed.  He spared a second to glance at Solas, who had appeared in his doorway at the commotion.

 

"You could help me," said Dorian, flinging a mismatched pair of socks over his shoulder.  They landed on his stack of textbooks from last term.

 

"I am not your elven serving man," said Solas, folding his arms across his chest.  "I wanted to make sure we wouldn't lose our security deposit because of you."

 

Dorian straightened, still clutching a pair of boxer briefs.  If Solas wasn't going to make himself useful, maybe he'd be good for a laugh.  "My Beginner's Elvhen Lexicon has gone missing," he said pointedly.  "I suppose gremlins made off with it?"

 

Solas didn't even have the good grace to look abashed.  "Two years of dust covered that book.  I didn't think you would miss it."

 

Dorian switched tactics on a dime. "And your outfit!  Maker's breath, you've finally learned how to use lint rollers and ironing boards!"

 

Solas narrowed his eyes.  He wore a red sweater vest over a white button-up shirt, and his usually rumpled dress pants were clean and crisply pressed.  Though it seemed like nothing in this world or any other would get the man to wear proper shoes; his ragged leather sandals peeked out under the hem of his pants.

 

"I'm scheduling oral qualification exams with my committee," said Solas.  

 

"Oh?  And you're not absconding to the coffee shop afterward with my book?"

 

Solas scowled, turned on his heel, and hurried down the stairs.  He distinctly heard Solas muttering a curse in elvhen before the door shut behind him.  Dorian shook his head; at least "wolf dick" sounded better in elvhen than in common.

 

When he'd settled himself back down at his computer, a single new alert floated over his inbox.

 

He jumped to his feet and slammed his bedroom door shut.  The clock read 12:02.  How had the time flown so quickly while he was teasing Solas?  Dorian unceremoniously swept a pile of clutter off his desk, set the laptop down in the very center, and hovered over his email.  Now that it was finally here, the long-awaited answer, he almost didn't want to know.  Solas had told him that people could fail their quals so badly they were expelled from the program.  And he knew his stick-in-the-mud housemate wouldn't lie over something like that--

 

"...vishante kaffas!"  He clicked the email and narrowed his eyes to slits, as though the screen were about to spit poison at him, then slowly opened them again.

 

Written qualification score for Dorian Pavus:

 

PASS from 5 committee members, FAIL from 0 committee members.

 

Please do not respond to this email.  For queries about your score and feedback on individual questions, please contact your committee members directly.  The Graduate History Program congratulates you, and reminds you to schedule oral qualification exams within one year of completing written exams.

 

Literally two seconds later, his phone buzzed.  He looked down to see a single smiley face from Solas, and all of his earlier ire at his housemate vanished.  If Solas had still been standing in the doorway, he could have hugged the bastard.

 

drinks on me tonight, he typed back. bring your lovely friend!

 

He hastily texted Vivienne, Bram and the rest of their cohort, and for good measure threw in the huge qunari he'd met at the bar before exams.  The guy might not remember who he was, but anyone worth Dorian's time wouldn't turn down a party.  As he scrolled down the list of contacts, he stopped at Felix, and some of the giddy elation seemed to escape him like air from a balloon.

 

He and Felix had celebrated everything together since they were children.  Birthdays.  Holidays.  Their acceptance letters to the Minrathous Academy of Liberal Arts.  The first time each of them got laid.  Dorian smiled wistfully at his friend's name, then turned to his computer on a whim.  A little green speech bubble blinked next to Felix's name, and he clicked the video chat option, waiting with bated breath as his computer beeped.

 

But it wasn't Felix who answered.  The connection between Orlais and Tevinter was sometimes spotty, but even blurry pixels couldn't hide the man at the other end.

 

"Congratulations, Dorian," said Alexius.

 

Dorian froze.  He wanted to slam the lid shut, leave, do anything to escape his suddenly too-small room, but his hands didn't seem to be under his control any more.  So he sat there, silent, staring back at the man who had all but driven him out of Minrathous.

 

"I'm sorry," said Alexius, folding his hands in front of him.  "You were expecting Felix.  But I wanted to talk to you, so I answered."

 

The sheer presumption after two goddamn years of silence snapped Dorian back to his senses.  "Did you?" he demanded, anger rising like bile in his throat.  He should have left it there.  Should have made his excuses, or just shut off the video chat.  But once he'd opened his mouth, he couldn't stem the tide of bitterness that poured out of him.

 

"What a shame that your heretic student actually made it in Orlais.  Did any of the other faculty get you consolation gifts?  A taxidermy hamster from Dr. Erimond?  Or perhaps some nice china from the dean?"

 

Alexius didn't even blink.  He kept going as though Dorian hadn't said anything at all.  "Felix asked me to talk to you months ago.  The fault is mine...for not listening to him."

 

"You were always deaf to any sense from me," Dorian shot back.  He could feel his hands balling into fists.  "Why should your own son be any different?"

 

Now anger flashed in Alexius's eyes.  His former mentor took a deep breath, shaking his head.  "I am trying to extend an olive branch."

 

"It's a long way between here and Minrathous.  I hope that's some olive branch."

 

"For the Maker's sake, don't be a child, Dorian--"

 

He slammed the laptop shut, and his speakers screeched in protest before the room went completely silent.

 

Don't be a child.  Felix was wrong.  Nothing had changed.  It was the same argument they'd had just before Dorian left.  Walk the safe road.  Don't challenge the academic status quo.  Don't ruffle feathers in Minrathous.  Don't ****** all over faculty who made better sycophants than scholars.  How had Alexius become such a damnable coward?  Dorian dropped his head into his shaking hands, trying to steady himself.

 

His phone started buzzing again with a flood of congratulations from fellow students and friends.  But the achievement felt hollow.  He sat there as the seconds turned into unending minutes, until he heard Vivienne's distinctive rap at his door.

 

"Darling, I know you're in there," she said.  "Why aren't you singing your accomplishments to anyone who will listen?"

 

"I'm a terrible singer," he called back, trying to sound as normal as possible.

 

"You should learn before this evening.  Bram suggested a karaoke bar, though it is your party."

 

When he didn't answer, Vivienne just opened the door and walked into his disaster of a room.  Dorian was suddenly struck by the thought that she was the only person in the world who could look concerned and revolted while still smiling.  "My dear--" she began, but Dorian wasn't in the mood for it.

 

"Let's get a head start on drinking," he said, planting a smile on his face to match hers.  "Solas left us some of that dessert wine, and I'll need it if I'm to do karaoke." 

 

Ugh, this is probably an incoherent mess.  But I said I'd barf text without picking over it, and I'm sticking to that! 

 

Dorian     

 

Your grad school AU hits me too much in the feels sometimes.

[Kadan]

I don't have a problem with constructive feedback when it is asked for and given with the intent of helping a writer improve. I do have an issue with it being done behind the writers back. She has her reasons for requesting people keep their critiques to themselves. So for me it looks like a lack of respect for the persons feelings. Just because it is done where you think she will never see it, doesn't make it ok.

 

As to the Writer's Group and being invited to give feed back I'm all for it, having readers that are passionate about reading good stories, and are willing to offer feedback is something we are lacking.

[Sable Rhapsody]

Dorian

Your grad school AU hits me too much in the feels sometimes.

Spoilered for IRL blargh:

Spoiler

I work at a large research university, and a lot of my friends are grad students. IMO they get so little recognition for the work they do and all the crap they endure. So I hope this goofy AU expresses my admiration for people like you, who dedicate so much to advancing knowledge

[drosophila]

Spoilered for IRL blargh:

Spoiler

I work at a large research university, and a lot of my friends are grad students. IMO they get so little recognition for the work they do and all the crap they endure. So I hope this goofy AU expresses my admiration for people like you, who dedicate so much to advancing knowledge

 

Thanks. That's incredibly kind and good to hear, especially on a day like today. 

[Raeona]

I mean... maybe? *Further shrugging* My schedule's kind of... not hectic, but pretty unpredictable, so...

 

...This actually reminds me that I have a few essays to critique right now...

 

Eh. Nap first.

Heh, it's dangerous to threaten to give feedback when writers are about. That way lies madness. 

 

TOP! Reposting because it's beautiful. 

http://letteredheart...avellan-because

[dawnstone]

I mean... I'd like to help but I'm getting the impression that critical opinions aren't... really welcome here? If people are feeling put down over a critique of someone else's writing...

 

I mean, it's fine, but I don't see the point to putting in the effort if I'm just... annoying people.

 

*Shrug*

As this is specifically the Solas thread, I'm personally fine with criticism of Solas, making fun of him, criticism of the developers and the choices they made for the characters related to him in the actual canon game I paid for - and sharing and discussion of making Solas-related fanfic, fanart and fanworks, because that's fun to me.

 

Detailed, unsolicited criticism of amateur, unpaid efforts, well, to me, it's distasteful. The writing, art, vids and bits and bobs are all free and done out of love, and the amazing and talented people surrounding me are the ones who make them, so why even go there? 

 

Several people here have repeatedly requested constructive criticism of their work. Perhaps you can scratch your itch as a literary expert, and help someone improve at the same time?

[BoscoBread]

As this is specifically the Solas thread, I'm personally fine with criticism of Solas, making fun of him, criticism of the developers and the choices they made for the characters related to him in the actual canon game I paid for - and sharing and discussion of making Solas-related fanfic, fanart and fanworks, because that's fun to me.

 

Detailed, unsolicited criticism of amateur, unpaid efforts, well, to me, it's distasteful. The writing, art, vids and bits and bobs are all free and done out of love, and the amazing and talented people surrounding me are the ones who make them, so why even go there? 

 

Several people here have repeatedly requested constructive criticism of their work. Perhaps you can get scratch your itch as a literary expert, and help someone improve at the same time?

I never particularly understood that sentiment.  You put a creative work out into the world and people will and do have the right to talk about it; critically/uncritically -- and providing meaningful discussion about a work or saying why they didn't like it is not distasteful.  You have to accept that as an artist people will do that, and frankly you can ignore it.  You take in what criticism and what praise you want.  It's out there - you've published it whether you get paid or not is not relevant.  There are artists that we talk about all the time that died poor and never knowing fame so you know..

 

Every writer is an amateur at first.  It takes a lot to get paid because the unfortunate truth is that the world devalues writing -- many think it's something they can do(mostly because we have to write in order to communicate unlike say drawing) and it's just not so.  Does it suck sometimes to hear something not postive about a piece...most certainly but I think quashing discussion and criticism is wrong.  Not because the writer/author won't grow...but because it devalues creative works as something easy that require no thought. They are not. They deserve to be commended for the hard work but they also deserve to be taken apart and put back together with a critical eye. 

[Eivuwan]

I think this is the prettiest version of Feynite's pride that I've seen so far! http://pyrrhy.tumblr...have-you-on-the