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[Walter Black]

Given what has gone before, I thought it might be fun to speculate what kind of romance quests our Dragon Age 4 Love Interests might bring. Imagine you find one character you would love to romance, except for one tiny issue in their LI quest; how would you react?

 

1. The character is a shining paragon of virtue, inconveniently clashing when your character really needs to be pragmatic.

 

2. The LI is capable and at peace with themselves, but also ruthless, and resists all attempts at "redemption".

 

3. The Companion is prejudiced against something you are; race, religion, class, whether or not you are a mage, etc. Unlike characters who simply make an exception for you (Fenris) or refuse to change (Sera), this person knows that their hatred is wrong and are working to better themselves. But old habits die hard, so you have to ask yourself, are they worth the effort?

 

4. You find yourself In a love triangle with the Love Interest and another NPC. However, in this case the rival would be just as good, if not in some cases, better for the LI. Do you allow the other characters to find happiness, or fight for your own?

 

5. One potential paramour has polyamory as an integral part of their spiritual philosophy. Not simply sleeping around, they consider sex a way to heal hurt and loneliness and bring others together in enlightenment. By contrast, they consider monogamy selfish and cruel. I cannot stress this enough: this is not a con or brainwashed delusion, but what this character actually believes. Do you support them, or find someone else?

 

6. One LI yearns for the simple life, and issues an ultimatum: if you want to be with them, after the current crisis is over, the two of you are settling down to raise a family. No more grand crusades, treasure hunts, oaths of vengeance or revolutions.  If you agree, this is acknowledged in the Epilogue, so no "one last adventure".

 

7. One LI really wants children of their own, but you present a problem; same sex, different race, they may or may not want their kids to have magic, etc. Do you allow them to use a surrogate, seeking magical alternatives that may or may not work, or break it off?

 

8. This person already has a child, and needs you to get along. The kid could be anything from a sitcom arch nemesis to an enemy combatant. Oh, and before anyone brings up Carth or Thane, the quest would be about YOUR relationship with the child, not the parents'.  

 

9. The LI is older, much older than you. This would out in the open at the beginning, so Solas doesn't count .

 

10. The persons' personality is everything you would want, but they are (in your view) physically hideous. I'm not talking about just a few "badass" scars, I mean burn marks or the Taint over 90% of their body. Or maybe they're just really fat .

[nightscrawl]

While I applaud your attempt at detail and variety, most of these would depend on the actual circumstances set out in the game and the LI themselves; broad, generalized descriptions just don't cut it.

 

Another problem is that they are unlikely to present issues like polyamory with the sort of nuance that it deserves, rather than as the LI going, "Well, I want to sleep around. If you don't like that, we'll just have to call it off." Couples have involved discussions about this, and about their emotional and sexual needs in a relationship. I don't think it's something that can be correctly presented in a game.

 

Also, some of these I don't actually see happening in the game, particularly 6, as that is too much of a closed ending -- or the perception of one -- for Bioware to allow the PC.

 

But I will say that the only one that really bothers me is 4. I generally do not like love triangles in entertainment, and the only time I can get into them is if the 3rd party also finds someone in the end, meaning that everyone is happy -- I'm just a sap that way. So I don't like the idea that my character is presented as a selfish a-hole for wanting to be with someone, as you basically imply with "... if not in some cases, better for the LI."

[Riverdaleswhiteflash]

Or maybe they're just really fat .

Well there's girls that make that work.

 

Also, here's an idea: I just rechecked the Keep, and it doesn't have the option to say the Inquisitior romanced Harding despite the fact that the flirting between the two is acknowledged in Trespasser. Maybe they're trying to keep her free for someone else?

[Walter Black]

This my response to nightscrawl, since for some reason this page isn't letting me quote posts .

 

I brought up the notion of a legitimate love triangle where the Companion is the focus instead of the PC because I haven't seen it in a DA game, and thought it would be new material for the franchise to explore. Aveline is oblivious to Hawke's hints and sees them more like a sibling. Also, Josephine doesn't even know Ortranto, and won't even try to get to know him even if unromanced . I don't see the PC being confident in what they want and honest with the LI about how they feel as being a "selfish a-hole". Really, if you sacrifice your love for the LI and rival because you genuinely want them to be happy, some would still see it that your character is a spineless idiot with a martyr complex, even if that's not the case. Personally, I prefer romance choices with a little more nuance and consequence, rather than simply black and white. Plus, there's nothing to say that the rival would be so devastated and couldn't find anyone else.

 

I don't really have any strong feelings on polyamory one way or the other; I couldn't do it, but more power to those who can. Just thought it would be fun and new ground to explore. I brought up the spiritual  aspect to differentiate this potential LI from previous amorous Companions like Zevran and Isabella. Honestly, I can see such a belief among the Rivani or Qunari, even Tal-Vashoth.

 

As far as a rival potential being "better" for the Li than the PC, imagine options 4 being merged with any of the others; they want to settle down and you don't, you want kids and they don't, etc. No one is truly right or wrong here, just different. The rival having the same life goals as the LI simply makes them a better match if your current PC doesn't share them. Honestly, I always hated the whole "the PC is the only one Love Interests can find true happiness with" trope. At least in this instance the Companion will get someone.

[Tidus]

I would settle for a bisexual female Elven archer or mage for the male Elf pc. As far as a love triangle that is possible in DA:O once you buy Morrigan that jeweled mirror at Orzammar. She will eventually tell the pc to choose her or Leliana. 

[Walter Black]

11. Like I said in my Reincarnating Companions thread, maybe this time Bioware could subvert the Betty and Veronica trope; the raunchy party one could actually be a shy virgin, and the prim and proper person is freaky as long as you keep it on the downlow .

 

12. Since Josephine and Solas' romances were ambiguous, DA4 might have an actual asexual romance. You would discover just what are the differences in asexual romance and friendship*, and whether or not it's right for your character.

 

*I don't count Sebastian since the chaste marriage was a deliberate choice and struggle on both his and Hawke's parts.

[Abelas Forever!]

There isn't any single answer I can give you OP for those scenarios because I try to make different kinds of characters and I try to make them for LIs so that there is a chance to be more tension or I would like experience a certain kind of romance with certain kind of PC. So different PCs would react to different ways in those situtions. It's also very important to me what kind of person the LI is so if I like the LI then I will just a make a suitable PC for him.

So how would I react to these scenarios:

1. Do my PC needs be pragmatic? What is she isn't that kind of person?

2. If I would want to romance this kind of LI, I would make a ruhtless PC so this wouldn't be a problem.

3. I would make a PC that would be the target of his prejudice because I like the idea that this LI would fell in love my PC even though he has prejudices against her.

4. I don't think I want to experience this kind of romance. I might not play it.

5. I'm not sure I want to experience this kind of romance. I might not play it.

6. I definitely would like to experience this kind of romance.

7. Not a problem.

8. Not the ideal situation but why not.

9. I would definitely make a very young PC

10. Not a problem.

So OP how would you react to these scenarios?

[Hanako Ikezawa]

10. The persons' personality is everything you would want, but they are (in your view) physically hideous. I'm not talking about just a few "badass" scars, I mean burn marks or the Taint over 90% of their body. Or maybe they're just really fat .

Well, that's pretty offensive. 

[Walter Black]

@SilentShadows: Given that I have a terminal case of Alt-it is, I would do all of them . The different scenarios and character interactions would certainly interest the frustrated writer in me.

 

@Hanako Ikezawa: Ok, "hideous" was rather thoughtless of me, but let's be honest; as enlightened as we'd like to believe ourselves, for most (again most, not all) people physical desire is still a huge factor in relationships. Obviously not everyone shares the same tastes or standards of beauty, and I've known many people who were not conventionally attractive, yet still had amazing love lives.

 

In case you've forgotten the entire purpose of this thread, I WANT diverse romance options that I've never had before. I would love the chance for my character to fall in love with an intelligent and sassy plus sized advisor, or even hero. When was the last time you saw a confident and likable hefty man in a DA game who wasn't a joke? Hell, do plus size women even exist in Thedas? Yeah yeah, idealized fantasy blah blah limited model animation budget yadda yadda. For all of Bioware's supposed championing of diversity, pretty much everyone still looks like a magazine model. Yes I will usually prefer the fantasy that I can be more handsome and heroic than in real life, but what about the fantasy that I still contribute as me?

[Xilizhra]

In case you've forgotten the entire purpose of this thread, I WANT diverse romance options that I've never had before. I would love the chance for my character to fall in love with an intelligent and sassy plus sized advisor, or even hero. When was the last time you saw a confident and likable hefty man in a DA game who wasn't a joke? Hell, do plus size women even exist in Thedas? Yeah yeah, idealized fantasy blah blah limited model animation budget yadda yadda. For all of Bioware's supposed championing of diversity, pretty much everyone still looks like a magazine model. Yes I will usually prefer the fantasy that I can be more handsome and heroic than in real life, but what about the fantasy that I still contribute as me?

To be fair, a fat adventurer strikes me as highly improbable; the occupation is quite physically demanding, after all.

[Walter Black]

They don't have to be obese, as husky warriors could work. Mages could relieve the pressure with a Lesser Gravity spell or redistribute the kinetic energy; if I recall correctly, there were characters in the George R.R. Martin edited Wildcards series who did just that. Pragmatically, I agree that such a character would be better as an advisor.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

@Hanako Ikezawa: Ok, "hideous" was rather thoughtless of me, but let's be honest; as enlightened as we'd like to believe ourselves, for most (again most, not all) people physical desire is still a huge factor in relationships. Obviously not everyone shares the same tastes or standards of beauty, and I've known many people who were not conventionally attractive, yet still had amazing love lives.

 

In case you've forgotten the entire purpose of this thread, I WANT diverse romance options that I've never had before. I would love the chance for my character to fall in love with an intelligent and sassy plus sized advisor, or even hero. When was the last time you saw a confident and likable hefty man in a DA game who wasn't a joke? Hell, do plus size women even exist in Thedas? Yeah yeah, idealized fantasy blah blah limited model animation budget yadda yadda. For all of Bioware's supposed championing of diversity, pretty much everyone still looks like a magazine model. Yes I will usually prefer the fantasy that I can be more handsome and heroic than in real life, but what about the fantasy that I still contribute as me?

I was actually more referring to the people with burn marks over their body part as well as the overweight part rather than just the overweight part. 

 

As for hefty characters, I know it's the armor that does it but since we never see him undressed I would say Blackwall/Rainier looks like he is pretty big in the heavy lifting way, where most of it is muscle but he has some fat too. 

[Riverdaleswhiteflash]

To be fair, a fat adventurer strikes me as highly improbable; the occupation is quite physically demanding, after all.

Maybe a civilian ally? Like Josephine? Her job wouldn't have been much more difficult if she was fat.

[vertigomez]

3. The Companion is prejudiced against something you are; race, religion, class, whether or not you are a mage, etc. Unlike characters who simply make an exception for you (Fenris) or refuse to change (Sera), this person knows that their hatred is wrong and are working to better themselves. But old habits die hard, so you have to ask yourself, are they worth the effort?

I didn't need Fenris or Sera to change in order to love them. So I'd say a similar companion would certainly be worth the effort, aaand in fact I'd probably end up romancing them by default.

Seriously, though, wouldn't this just be Cullen? He says something about how it horrifies him that a few years ago he might not've had room in his heart for a mage Inquisitor.

[vertigomez]

Oh! And I really do love number 8. I would love to meet a LI who already has a kid.

[Ghost Gal]

One of the devs mentioned in an interview that they thought it was kind of cool that the only way to move the Iron Bull romance forward was after you'd slain a dragon (as he only gets drunk and call you "Kadan" in that scene, which moves the relationship forward), and that they'd probably do something like that next game, so I'm watching out for something like that.

[Abelas Forever!]

Because I answered to the question how would I react to those quests last time I think I'm now ready to speculate whether they could be in DA4.

1. Possible, if there is shining paragon of virtue kind of character. Although I would prefer if I could choose my reactions to the behaviour of my LI. So I would say that the LI in this scenario is possible but I think it's more likely that we can decide our reaction to the situation.

2. Possible. You will have to just accept that LI.

3. This won't work unless you choose the certain thing that this LI is prejudiced against and if that LI would fell in love would it mean that this LI wouldn't be prejudiced against you anymore?

4. I really doubt that they would make this kind of romance quest. I believe many people wouldn't like it so it would be a risk to implement it. I could see a love triangle happening if you are not treating your LI well so your actions would have meaning which I think is a good thing and I like that there are different outcomes to romances.

5. I remember reading that implementing a polyamory is quite difficult so probably they won't do it. I really doubt that they are going to implement it so that the LI has this kind of philosophy.

6. Likely. However I don't think there is a need to make the whole romance quest to deal with this issue because they can just retire somewhere after the game.

7. I think it would be interesting to explore these kinds of things in a romance. But does there need to be a break up if your PC is not ready for a child? I would rather see a different outcome.

8. Possible. The LI could have a child so spending time with the child could be in the romance quest but of course there needs to be something else as well.

9. Are we talking about just  numbers? Because characters can be old but still look young.

10. I really doubt that they will be making this kind of LI. Maybe a few scars but not too much because I think that character's appearance is too important in video games so that they would make this kind of LI.

[d1ta]

Quest ideas for LI

- Meet the parents quest. And nooooo... they're not the cool awsome and accepting family like Josie's imagine Abernache and Anora as your LI's aristocratic dad and perfectionist mom, scrutinizing every aspect of you and your ancestry >

Can you stomach it? > for the sake of pixel love

[Riverdaleswhiteflash]

Quest ideas for LI

- Meet the parents quest. And nooooo... they're not the cool awsome and accepting family like Josie's imagine Abernache and Anora as your LI's aristocratic dad and perfectionist mom, scrutinizing every aspect of you and your ancestry >

Can you stomach it? > for the sake of pixel love

Well, now I know what kind of romance quest I want for my DA4 Vashoth.

[d1ta]

Well, now I know what kind of romance quest I want for my DA4 Vashoth.

.. can imagine what the dialogue would be like? XD especially if your LI comes from the more prominent Altus class XD
Oh the horrors! Their precious child dating a savage Oxman!

[Riverdaleswhiteflash]

.. can imagine what the dialogue would be like? XD especially if your LI comes from the more prominent Altus class XD
Oh the horrors! Their precious child dating a savage Oxman!

I hope in a few years, I can stop imagining and start listening.   

[Asdrubael Vect]

.. can imagine what the dialogue would be like? XD especially if your LI comes from the more prominent Altus class XD
Oh the horrors! Their precious child dating a savage Oxman!

atleast their daughter may be look like a desire deamon